


I Assure You, You’re Always On My Mind

by r_j_l



Series: I See You As You Are In Every Second Of Our Life [1]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Architect Gendry, CFO Garlan, Domestic Fluff, Domestic goodness, F/M, Facing Fears, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Fucking Blind To See How The Other Feels The Both Of Them, Good adult sister relationship between Arya and Sansa because that is the hill I die on, Happiness and Hickeys, I'm rather pleased with this actually, Interior designer and head of marketing Loras, Last Chapter, Love Confessions, Modern Era, More fluff and smut to be found, Observant Characters, Psychologist Sansa, Roommates, Shit just realized I forgot to tag this, Some sweet moments, They're both early-mid thirties in this, This may not be the last of this modern au, Vet Arya, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, and a smutty moment, here cums the smut, it's the longest smut I've ever written actually and somehow I'm happy with it, nearly 6900 words of smut, phone conversation, there will be more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:00:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24927349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/r_j_l/pseuds/r_j_l
Summary: Being overheard by your best friend while in a compromising moment while fantasizing about them isn't always the worst thing in the world.Sometimes it can be the only way forward.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Series: I See You As You Are In Every Second Of Our Life [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2008336
Comments: 75
Kudos: 313





	1. Chapter 1

"Gendry," she sighs, in the soft echo of the tiled bathroom. 

She knows she's being loud. That doesn't mean she's going to be too aware of it. She hadn't been a few minutes ago on her first time around either. In fairness, if there was ever a good time to be loud, it's right now. It's almost one in the afternoon, she's in her own bath, and she's alone in the apartment. The man in question is at work, and really it's the only time she's gotten to do this in the month since he moved into her spare bedroom. Curse him.

She knows she's being terribly unfair; she shouldn't blame him for this. It's been a struggle, though, continuing to hide how she feels. She wouldn't risk her friendship with him for anything. 

But really it's gotten so that the littlest things he does can cause her heart to race. The fact that he's been around so much she's been in a constant state of want and yearning since she helped him move in.

The worst of it she thinks has been caused by proximity. The amount of time she gets to see him now, it's not easy to ignore. She doesn't regret suggesting he move in, but having him around, it's like her body is constantly calculating the distance between them, it's just distracting. She's stubbed her toes and walked into poor Nym more times in the last month than she remembers ever doing before because of it.

Him being shirtless so much is a whole other issue entirely. 

It's a blessing she definitely curses about. In the past, she could handle it when it happened, it was so rare, but now, well, she knew he slept like that before. Still, she didn't think that she'd be the only audience member treated to the daily one-person show that is shirtless half-awake grumpy and adorable Gendry desperately trying to make them both coffee. Last week she had to stop herself from crossing the length of the kitchen, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his shoulder blades as he stared down the coffee maker like it was his mortal enemy.

Then there are the torturous nights when they both aren't quite ready to turn in, but he's already changed into those sweatpants of his and nothing else. They hang a little low and frankly leave nothing to her imagination. Then when he finally leaves, it's usually with a yawn, a low, "you should go to bed love," and a sleepy smile that makes her blush once his door shuts behind him. She's had to stop herself after making it halfway down the hall with the intention of knocking on the door to kiss him senseless once it opens more than once.

Then it's the three times a week he comes home after the gym, his shirt clinging to his chest. She nods along for a moment or two while he talks and pulls the shirt over his head from the back, revealing his heaving chest and toned arms, she suspects that he runs home after each workout. She watches him chug the rest of the contents of his water bottle, his adam's apple bobbing before he heads into the shower. If she weren't so sure that he's not doing this all on purpose, she'd call him a tease. 

It's a real struggle, having no time to reminisce about all of this in private.

"Gendry," she sighs again, biting her lips and keeping the gasp in as she hits that spot within herself that will eventually push her over the edge.

The fact that she's had to schedule a time for this just to be sure he wouldn't be home is honestly sad, and if she weren't so in love in with him, she'd be probably more upset about it.

Even before he moved in, it had gotten to the point where she has to imagine that it's his hands on her body, not her own. He's the one pinching her nipples and trailing fingertips along her sides. Her own fingers don't fill her up the way his cock or his fingers would, but she imagines that they're his all the same. Pretending it's him when she slides a finger around her clit is much more simple, her own mind so drunk on the feeling that he becomes as clear as he ever gets in her fantasies.

He has a presentation at work today that he's nervous about, it's the most ambitious building he's ever designed and the biggest job the firm has ever been offered. He shaved this morning and wore a suit to work, shirt, vest, trousers, jacket, everything but a tie. His shirt matches his eyes, the vest a charcoal grey, the same as his trousers. He's wearing it now as his fingers toy with her, in her imagination he tells her to stay still, it's suddenly not her fingers on her clit, it's his tongue putting pressure where she's desperate for it. 

"Gendry," she's whining now, the need for the feeling to continue is overwhelming, "Gen..." his name cut off in a moan she doesn't bother to stop this time. 

He says her name against her in her mind, the huff of air making her shake, but he holds her still. Slipping a finger, then two inside her, repeatedly pressing on the spot, she's so close that she fears her heart will shatter along with her.

She sees his striking blue eyes staring at her in her mind, and that's all she needs. "Fuck, Gendry!" she knows she's too loud as it happens, but she couldn't control it even if she cared to.

Her bath cools significantly around her in the few minutes it takes for her mind to work again. 

She has gotten out and has just finished drying herself off along with undoing the bun her hair was wrapped into when she hears the floorboards creaking in her room, Nym she thinks, waiting for her, knowing she's going to emerge in the next few minutes.

It's not until she hears the clear beat of a human knocking on the door of her bathroom that she stills. Either someone has broken into the apartment, and Nym hasn't bothered to alert her to it, or Gendry is behind the door. Her body starts calculating again how far she is from him. Glancing at her phone, 1:15, why is he home?

"Yes?" she asks towards the door, unsure of what to do next.

"Arya, do you have any stain remover pens? We're out in the spray bottle," his voice is clear and seemingly unaffected by what he may have heard through the walls. 

"One second,” she calls back, pulling on her old baggy sweater and pajama shorts. 

"There's one in my bag," she says as she opens the door. Gendry is leaning against the wall, he's down to just his undershirt and trousers, Nym at his side getting pets. Pointedly ignoring him for now, she tosses her phone on her bed and crosses to her backpack and finds the item in question in the left side pocket just where it should be. 

She hears Nym move to her dog bed; she hears him move as well. He's at her side as she takes the pen out. Giving it to him, she meets his eyes for the first time since opening the door, and she can't find any trace of embarrassment or anything in the way his blue eyes look at her that would give away if he heard her. He must have just come home then. She's confused that she's not as relieved at the thought of him not hearing her as she should be, which takes her by surprise. If she had to talk to him about it, what would she even say? What would he ask?

That doesn't mean that she doesn't relax for the first time since she realized he was home. She asks, "What happened to you?" as she follows him to the kitchen sink, quickly tying her hair back in a terribly messy braid.

"I had lunch with Mya and Barra," he says, picking up his shirt off the counter, "There was a macaroni and cheese incident," he grins, showing her the bright yellow cheese stains that feature heavily on the right arm of his shirt.

"I can see that," she says, laughing at the image he's created in her head, "You have any pictures of the perpetrator?" 

He nods, motioning his head to the other side of the sink where his phone is as he wets the spots, and pulls the cap of the pen off.

Walking to his other side and taking his phone, she punches in his passcode and opens the photo app. She sees there are three photos from today's lunch. One that Mya must have taken of the three of them, a second of the grinning toddler herself covered in her own bright yellow cheese stains looking thoroughly proud of her mess and one of Gendry and Barra together both laughing. She may take a minute flipping through the three photos, lingering longest on the two that have him in it. His smile in the third picture is so big.

"Surprised to find you home," he says, interrupting her thoughts and making her lock eyes with him. There's something there in the blue of them, the way he's looking at her it's not normal, it makes goosebumps rise on her arms, it's a heavy look, and the intensity catches her off guard. Her stomach does backflips; he did hear her.

She replaces his phone down on the counter, taking a large breath before saying as calmly as she can muster, "Took Nym with me to work this morning, she was due for a booster. I took the rest of the day off."

He nods as she speaks, but there's a blush rising on his cheeks.

She could let it go, let him think whatever he likes about what he heard, and she does consider it, a part of her can't risk the possibility of them changing because of this. It's her heart, though, beating so fast, that makes her reconsider. 

He's scooped up his shirt, folded it, so the treated stains lay on top, and is finished washing any stain remover from his hands and is drying them as she finally makes a decision.

"You heard me masturbating," she says. It's not a question the way she says it. She knows he heard her.

"No, I didn't," he replies much too quickly. Their eyes meeting as he says it. Her eyebrow rising almost involuntary in her usual look of disbelief.

"Fuck," he says after a moment shaking his head and breaking eye contact, knowing he's been caught in the lie.

"No, not exactly," she says under her breath soft enough; she doesn't think he could have possibly heard it.

He bites his bottom lip and puts his hands on the edge of the sink.

"Let me be a gentleman about this," he says softly, looking anywhere but at her, "we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, and I'll forget what I heard. It's not any of my business." He looks at her once he's finished, his expression unreadable, which only helps to confuse her more.

The offer is such a shock that he's taken his shirt and is halfway out of the kitchen, headed towards the closet that hides their washer and dryer before she can even process it properly. 

“Oh… good…" she says slowly, loud enough for him to hear, nodding along as she tries to understand what is happening. Watching him open the door from here, she can see his shoulders drop as he puts his shirt in the bin they use to hold the stain remover and laundry detergent. It needs more work then.

He closes the door and turns slightly towards her, "I have to get changed and head back to the office, but I'll see you tonight," he says before turning away from her, "I'll call you to talk about dinner," he says walking towards his open bedroom door.

The short distance between them at this moment, her at the kitchen sink and him down the hallway, it feels like a chasm opening between them, growing larger with every step he takes, they shouldn't be like this.

No, this can't be the thing that pulls them apart, she won't allow it. If anything is going to make him leave, he should do it knowing the full truth.

"Gendry I think..." she says walking towards him before he can escape into his room, he stops the second she says his name, turning to her, his expression is surprisingly neutral, "What if I do think we should talk about it?" She gets the words out eventually, and she means them.

His eyes react first, softening slightly, "Then we should sit down and talk," he says, suddenly walking towards her. 

"Now?" she asks, confused as he passes her heading for the chair closest to the couch, "You have time now?" He has to get back to work. 

"Yes," he says as he sits in the chair, his face serious, determined even.

"It won't make you late?" she asks in disbelief.

He shakes his head in an answer until he must see she won't move until he says more, "My presentation isn't until 3:30."

Looking at the nearest clock, over two hours from now, he has the time. 

She starts to move closer to him, sitting on the couch across from him, her feet hanging just a bit above the carpet. At the moment, she's not sure how she feels.

Taking a deep breath, she looks at him, and his eyes are soft, just looking at her as he usually would, calming whatever was building up inside of her.

"Do you have any questions? Besides the obvious I mean?" she asks, still trying to break any of the lingering tension she feels between them. 

She doesn't expect to get him to smile and laugh, but she's happy that he does. "What would the obvious questions be in this situation?" he asks almost as if he's teasing her, but still genuinely curious for an answer.

Shrugging her shoulders, she can think of a few questions she'd be interested in having the answers to if this situation was reversed.

He startles her out of her thoughts when he starts to ask, "I guess all I want to know is if I was just a passing thought or if you regularly imagine me when you touch yourself?" He's doing his best, being honest, and open with her; it's at that moment that the decision is made easier. He asked a question, one that she can answer. She can do this.

"Yeah, it's only you," she says, looking down at her hands in her lap, it feels better than anything telling him the truth, "It has been for a while."

She can hear the shock in his voice as he asks, "Does that mean that you have..."

"Feelings for you, yeah, I do," she says, interrupting him, unwilling to hear him ask it fully.

The silence after that is deafening. Waiting for him to react, and wondering if she should have just lied, she still can't make herself look at him.

She can't even hear him breathing until right before he asks, "Arya, why didn't you ever say..."

Interrupting him again before he can say more, she sighs and asks, "What would you have wanted me to say? That I've been in love with you for so long, that I don't even know when it started," now that is something she never thought she'd ever say out loud, but hearing it come out lightens her tremendously. 

He gets up from his chair then, and for a couple of moments, she doesn't know what he's going to do, which is both terrifying and thrilling. She relaxes some when he sits down beside her and puts a hand on her shoulder. She's surprised that at this moment, he decides to guide her back into his warm arms, scooting back towards him and tucking her feet to her side, his familiar scent surrounding her. It does more to calm her in a few seconds than she ever would have managed by herself.

Taking a few deep breaths, she begins to speak again, "I had to hide it. I care about you and our friendship more than what I want. I couldn't risk ruining our friendship for something that's one-sided." I'm not selfish, she almost adds, but she thinks better of it.

Shifting her head to look at him, she's comforted and confused by the smile on his face that reaches his eyes. "Gendry, you're my best friend, and that means so much to me I just couldn't, but I love you, I can't hide anymore, I'm sorry," her voice started strong but as she finished it grew weaker, the words barely making it out. Her face is on fire as she nestles into him now, the truth finally said, and she's been exhausted in the process.

"You haven't ruined anything," he whispers into her hair, not ten seconds later. She wishes she could believe him, but she just can't make herself do it.

She can feel his lips smiling against her hair as he continues to whisper, "It's incredible, how we..., he pauses then she can feel a huff of laughter, his thumb at her back gently sliding back and forth along her spine, before he says, "I don't know how we've both managed to be so stubborn about this in exactly the same way for so long."

"Gendry?" she asks because his words do nothing but confuse her more. Turning to look at him, she can tell that he's as open and honest as she's ever seen him be. It's the way he looks at her that causes her heart to feel like it's risen up into her throat as she begins to piece together what he might mean.

He must see that she needs him to say more as he continues to look at her intensely. Like he's able to see everything in her heart, it makes her stomach do summersaults, His voice is stronger, almost determined as he says, "I understand it, everything you just said, I couldn't risk our friendship either, no matter how much I wanted to."

His arms around her slightly tighten, and she knows now how much they've both been avoiding this because of fear. 

"Arya, this, it's not just one-sided. I, I love you too; I desperately want this with you, love," he says, leaning closer to her and letting out a beautiful sigh of relief once he's said it. He's steady beside her. He means it, every word. 

The beating of her heart, she can feel it in her chest, shifting slightly to kneel on the couch beside him, so she's tall enough to be eye to eye with him. Looking at him now, her smile is mirrored on his lips. 

Waiting two breaths, out and in and out and in before her hand grabs a hold on to the fabric of his undershirt and she sees his incredible blue eyes go wide as she pulls herself closer, eliminating all but a fraction of the distance that was between their lips. She can feel his warm breath on her face. The next bit, it's simple, cupping his cheek with her palm, she watches him lean into her touch slightly as he bites his bottom lip for a moment, leaving his lips parted just a bit, and she just can't wait any longer. 

It's unclear if they both shift towards each other or if she did it herself, but it's the last thing on her mind as her lips meet his, and she sees Gendry close his eyes, her own close a moment later. It feels better than she thought it could possibly be. It's a chaste kiss at first, soft, only lasting a few seconds before he shifts a hand to her lower back, pulling her body closer to his, the other threading itself into her hair at the base of her braid. Then it's suddenly transformed into a needy thing between them, fighting for control of it before he seems to surrender it to her. She savors it, tasting him for the first time, the softness of his skin against her palm, her nose slightly bumping his as she leans into him more.

Gendry's the one to break the kiss; her eyes still closed as she feels him brushing his lips along her left cheekbone, she can feel his smile on her skin. 

Sliding her hand into his hair, she leans in for more, but this time he's faster, and it's his lips that cover hers moving slowly against them, she gives him the control, just reacting to him. He seems surprised by it, his tongue grazing hers, exploring her mouth. Slipping both his hands under her shirt after a bit, he rests them on her lower back again, only continuing upward after she breaks the kiss and nods. 

She opens her eyes, finding him looking at her so intently, studying her every reaction as his hands slide to her waist. His calloused fingers, tickling her as they move up further to graze the sides of her breasts, holding them softly until she presses into his hands more. His eyes darkening as his thumbs shift to drag along her nipples back and forth, slowly driving her insane with want of more, heat rising at her center as her pulse quickens. She rests her head on his shoulder and moans into Gendry's neck when he pinches them for the first time, goosebumps rising on her skin in reaction before he soothes them again with gentle fingertips.

Her hand gives up the grip on his undershirt, lifting her head and holding on to his shoulders, she pulls away from him for the seconds it takes for her to straddle him fully.

They still for a moment, he lets go of her breasts, his fingers dancing down her sides as he pulls his hands out from underneath her sweater. His lips find hers once more, and the happy sigh of contentment she hears rising from his throat makes her smile.

"I thought I was terrible at hiding it," he whispers once the kiss is broken, "you really had no idea?" His eyes open as he asks it, so vulnerable and honest.

"Maybe we didn't allow ourselves even to consider it a possibility," she replies, leaning her forehead into Gendry's chest, resting and just enjoying being so close. His arms wrap around her again, and they just sit like that for a minute, then another, and another, just breathing. She can hear his heart; every beat of it a reminder that he loves her.

"Thank you for being so brave Arry, for telling the truth, it must have been scary," he says softly into the air minutes later, she hears true empathy in his words, he understands how it must have felt.

Kissing him through the fabric of his shirt before she replies, admitting with a grin, "When you sat down on the couch with me it became infinitely easier, I like it when you hold me." He holds her tighter for just a moment as if to say I like holding you too. She moves her hands down his arms, fingers lingering on the edge of his shirtsleeves.

"Have you been roaming around here without a shirt, your arms and chest out to try and get my attention?" she has to ask, before this she'd been sure it wasn't on purpose, but now she's positive that it was, in any case, she wants to hear him say it.

He's blushing more than she thought him capable of when she lifts her head to look at him. "Only some of the time," he replies with a shrug, she raises her eyebrow at that answer, and she can feel his laughter deep in his stomach before he says, "ok most of the time."

She gives him a little kiss in response, lasting only a few seconds before she moves her hands to the lowest bits of his shirt she can reach down his sides. Desperate suddenly to get his shirt off.

He laughs again and jostles her as he shifts to get it untucked. "Is this what you wanted?" he asks once he's taken it off and has tossed it to the floor. Their eyes lock as he looks up from where it fell, and she’s struck by his eyes, they're as soft as she's ever seen them. 

Wrapping her arms around his neck, her hands and fingers tangle themselves in the hair at the back of his head; she lowers her forehead to rest against his clavicle. She takes a deep breath before she says, "You should know I've been a tense horny mess this month because of you." Kissing his shoulder after she speaks, she's surprised by his momentarily delayed reaction to her confession.

"Arya," he begins, his voice deep, she looks up at him then, finding his eyes staring at her intensely, the heated look making her warm, as he says, "I will very gladly help you out with that whenever you wish m'lady." 

"I'd expect nothing less from a gentleman," she says while turning into his neck and placing a very light kiss to his pulse point, then down his neck towards his shoulder she does it again, this time with a bit of a bite to it. Seven hells, the sound of satisfaction he makes as she does it, sets her off, needing to be closer. 

He seems to sense it too, his hands taking hold of her bare thighs, pulling her in and kissing her lightly, more of a tease than anything else. She knows the moment he realizes that she has nothing on under her shorts, his fingers exploring underneath the edges of the fabric. The moment he notices the kiss transforms, he's biting her lip gently before pulling her in flush with him, and she's glad to know that he's just as turned on by all this as she is. 

Grinding against him makes the kiss end so quickly, he moans deep from his throat as her hand slides down between them, pleased to find him extremely hard through his trousers beneath her hand. A question comes to her mind, but she holds off for a bit in favor of watching his every reaction to her touch. His hands have stilled on her, but he's still beautiful under her, not holding anything back. His eyes, pleading for more as the look of love that accompanies it tells her how many times he's imagined them just like this.

"After you heard me, did you have to take care of yourself?" she asks finally, taking her hand away, bringing it up to his heart to feel it beat. 

Leaning in, he kisses her cheek, a huff of laughter escaping him as he says as if it should be obvious, “Of course I did Arry, you were in your bath moaning my name," he kisses her again before continuing, almost shyly, "After though, I was so afraid that you thinking of me meant nothing. That I was just someone who popped into your head," he breaks eye contact with her as he says it, clearly reliving that insecurity.

"Gendry, dear, you're always on my mind," she says softly, tilting his head just enough so she can press a kiss to his forehead. She's thoroughly amused by the squeak of surprise she hears in his throat. Continuing down, trying to get him to make that adorable noise again, she kisses between his eyes, then to his left and right cheek, then up to his forehead again. She can't get him to make the noise again, it seems, but she files that information away for later.

She knows by the bright smile on his face that she did well enough to remind him exactly where she is at the moment, happily straddling his lap, and wanting his hands in so many more places than the small portion of her that he's touched.

His eyes steady on her, looking at her now in a way that makes her sure that he can feel the heat that's between her legs.

Taking her hand away from his where it rests over his heart, and pressing herself closer chest to chest, a moan, quiet from the back of his throat, reverberates through her.

He begins pressing kisses along her jaw, every few kisses lightly scraping where he just kissed with his teeth, then his attention shifts down her neck, making her gasp and grind against him. He’s probably leaving marks she thinks, but somehow that just makes it better, makes her wetter.

“Harder,” she says softly at that thought, and he obliges in every way he can.

She needs to get his clothes off of him, but that would require a significant amount of movement she's not sure she would be able to manage. But she tries anyway for a moment and is halted almost entirely when he exhales a cool breath against her neck, and she forgets how to undo a belt.

Where does he get off fucking wearing a belt right now?

He doesn't, that's all she knows as she feels him laugh at her clear frustration. It's that second that she remembers where he's actually supposed to be right now, him and his stupid belt.

"Gendry we, not right now," she says, pulling herself away from him, her voice thick and needier than she's used to it being. It stops him immediately, his hands leaving her legs and going to the couch. 

"What's wrong?” he asks, his expression full of concern suddenly. He's beautifully disheveled, hair sticking up, and marks from her kisses somewhat visible on his shoulder. Gods she did that to him, her stomach flipping at the sight.

Shaking her head before she says, "You have to get back to work," there's so much regret in her voice, being the one to remember.

An instant panic flashes across his face, both turning to the nearest clock in the room, only 1:50, he has plenty of time. She can see the panic look instantly disappear, a blush rises on his cheeks, as he turns back to her, "Right, you're right," he says, obviously wishing she wasn't being reasonable and responsible right now but appreciating it all the same.

He kisses her then, just because he needs to and because he knows he can she suspects.

"Later," she says, breaking the kiss and shifting off of him completely, instantly missing the contact between them.

His eyes are still closed as he nods in agreement, opening as he says, "Once I get home, love. I promise."

He gets up then, turning from her and stepping away before he's turned back and is leaning down to kiss her on the forehead swiftly, his fingers tilting her head up by her chin. She can feel her skin erupting in a heated blush at the contact.

Then he's gone, down the hall towards his room, leaving her as still as a statue. Her ears pick up his door closing behind him.

She lays down then, her eyes closing as her heart races and blood pumps in her ears running over the memories of the last half hour. Her hands, mimicking his touches under her sweater.

Interrupted a minute later by his voice, "Oh, I forgot..." his surprised tone makes her eyes open; he's pointing to the floor. Oh, right, his undershirt. Picking it up, she tosses it to him, but after catching it, he doesn't turn away, he gets closer to her, kneeling on the carpet beside her. Taking her hand in his and holding it as his other rests on her stomach, his pointer finger gently circling the skin around her belly button. It tickles a little, but she doesn't mind.

"I'm good, by the way," he says. She's not sure if he's boasting about his skills, or if he's talking about something else, raising her eyebrow at him, she can see the moment he realizes what exactly he just said had sounded like, his pointer finger slowing it's movement as he thinks.

The tips of his ears go bright red, as he shakes his head before he begins to explain, "No, well, yes, that too," a smirk appears on his face, "but I meant that I'm negative for everything." 

Oh well, that makes much more sense she realizes as he brings her hand to his lips, he places a light kiss to the back of her hand before he asks, "Should I stop for condoms on the way home? I have some, but not nearly enough."

Gods him being so responsible is such a turn on. Besides that, she's wondering what not nearly enough means, it's Friday yes but does he mean stocking up for the weekend or for the foreseeable future. Both scenarios, as they weren't even a possibility in her mind an hour ago, are so exciting.

He kisses her hand again, and she's reminded that he had asked her a question before she was stuck in her thoughts. "We can use condoms if you want, but we don't technically need to, I have an IUD, and same, all safe."

He nods as she says it, his mind working all this over, and to her great amusement, she can tell the moment his thoughts get stuck on something she's sure she'd enjoy just as much as he would.

"We'll talk about this more tonight," she says, taking her hand back from him and running her fingers through his hair, making his hair stick out in the back even more than it usually does.

That gets his attention; he nods, looking at her in agreement as he says, "Tonight." His voice sounds full of promises he hasn't made to her yet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three things:
> 
> Gendry's clothing look, ignore the beard please: https://macnacailli.tumblr.com/post/166945786638
> 
> Nym's a middle age/getting up there German Shepherd Husky Mix: https://thehappypuppysite.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/gerberian-shepsky.jpg
> 
> I've answered some questions in the comments, one gives more backstory and context that won't appear in this main fic. If you have any questions please ask them.

It's only been five minutes since he went to get ready when his phone goes off.

She's halfway to the counter when she hears him curse from his room, "Shit," he says, and she can't help but laugh.

"Arya can bring me that?" he says, cracking open the door, his head peaking out. 

Well, that makes sense she thinks once she's noticed who is calling, "It's only Loras," she says, and sees him relax, "I'll get it, you finish," she says, noticing that it's a video call request.

"Hello, Loras," she says distractedly as she watches Gendry mouth, "thank you" to her before closing the door behind him. 

"Arya, wow wonderful," Loras says to her, a little confused to see her probably. At the same time, she brings her eyes slowly back to the phone as she realizes there's a second person on the screen, Garlan, beside Loras as he continues, "do you know what is taking him so long?"

"He'll be on his way soon," she says, looking towards the door again, a smile on her lips when she turns to the brothers, before saying, "and blame me for holding him up."

At this point, Garlan starts to say, "Alright, just we need him out of there," before Loras's eyes widen comically. 

"Yeah, he needs to get back," Loras says, excitement in his voice.

"Loras, are you alright?" she asks, concerned as his brother looks at him thoroughly confused.

He nods before Garlan asks, "Loras?" clearly unconvinced.

"Look, right there," Loras says, pointing at something beyond her shoulder.

Turning to where he's pointing, there's nothing but the kitchen cabinet, "I still don’t…" she says but stops when she hears Garlan gasp.

"Fucking finally," he says, and suddenly she's the only one not in on what's happening. 

Turning back to them and sighing now because she has to ask, "What's so exciting?"

"You and Gendry, you're together! Arya, that's wonderful," Garlan says, his enthusiasm matching Loras's almost instantly.

"How did you know?" she asks, confused at how they came to that conclusion so fast, she doesn't even think of hiding this because of the enthusiastic way Garlan said finally. 

Loras is the one to make everything clear, he brings a hand up to his neck and says, "You have some red marks right here, and you look thoroughly kissed."

Oh right, that happened she can't help but blush at the memory "I, uhh..." she not sure what to say at this point. She's surprised she's not more embarrassed about this when she normally would be.

"You look happy, Arya," Loras says, bringing her back into the conversation, and she can feel the blush continuing to rise on her face.

Nodding, unsure what to say right now, she starts with, "I am," then she adds, "we are, umm," alright, this needs to end right now before she says something idiotic, "He’ll be there soon. Bye."

Replacing his phone on the counter as she ends the call is when she realizes just how strange that call just was. 

She's not upset that they're the first to know about her and Gendry. They're good people, despite their habit of gossiping, the only thing Gendry takes issue with when it comes to the brothers. They've been two very loyal business partners to Gendry since the five of them started the firm. 

Crossing to the nearest mirror, yeah, he certainly did a number on her, didn't he, her hair is a mess, her lips are redder than they should be, and there are three distinctive red marks, not quite hickeys, down the side of her neck. She can't help laughing at herself; she had asked him for them after all. Gods they'd been going at it like teenagers. 

Knocking on Gendry's bedroom door, she waits for the usual, "Yeah, come in," before opening it and leaning on the door frame. 

Watching as he finishes buttoning up a new paler blue dress shirt, "Thanks for that," he says, turning in her direction more now, "How nervous did he sound? When I left for lunch, he seemed fine." His voice, betraying his own nervousness.

Goodness he has no right looking that good in a dress shirt she thinks as he tucks it into his trousers. His lips are a little redder than usual too.

"It was a video call actually, him and Garlan, they wanted to know what was taking you so long," she says, watching as he nods along with her words, licking her lips she says, "told them it was me that held you up."

"You didn’t need to do that," he says, walking towards her, "they need to stop worrying. I'm still fine on time."

"They almost instantly came to some very accurate conclusions you know," she says, closing the distance between them, feeling a grin growing on her face, realizing that if they knew so fast, he must have really been bad at hiding how he felt around his co-workers which is utterly adorable.

"What do you mean?” he asks, suddenly studying her expression.

She places a few fingers along her neck, guiding his eyes as she says, "They saw your workmanship."

Immediately his face drops, fingers coming to trace the marks, then resting his hand on top of hers, "Shit. Gods, I'm sorry,” he’s gauging her reaction. Visibly relaxing when she flips her hand over and laces their fingers together, spurring him on as he continues slowly, "but, it is alright that they know, right? Unless you wanted to…"

“Gendry,” she says, interrupting him before he can suggest anything that isn’t the truth, “it’s fine. It would have been nice to keep this to just ourselves for a couple of days, but they would have found out soon anyway. It’s a great thing that they know actually. It means that most everyone else will hear about this soon, so we don't have to go around telling people ourselves,” she reasons, she’s okay with everyone knowing, it’s the awkward telling people part she knows she'd have trouble with.

He squeezes her hand gently in response before letting it go and walking back to his open closet, looking at ties, comparing two. However, he is still distracted by her, looking over in her direction.

Clearing his throat, he looks at her for a second and says, trying to sound so casual but failing miserably, "So we are together now, yeah? That’s what I'll say when they ask, because you know they will," The way he asks it, it's endless endearing.

Stepping closer, she rubs the back of his neck with her thumb back and forth a few times feeling the tension there before he turns to face her again, she says, "It's you and me now. Not that we weren't before, but this is..."

"It's more now," he finishes it for her, taking a gentle hold of her waist and placing a quick kiss to her forehead.

He holds her like that for a minute, and she enjoys every second, but she eventually pulls away, their eyes meeting and saying the same thing, he needs to leave.

She's almost out the door when his voice stops her looking at her in the reflection on the small mirror that's on his dresser, "They didn't ask for details, did they?"

Shaking her head before she answers, "No, I hung up before they could have the chance, and I wouldn't have told them if they had."

"Good, I…" he starts but pauses, how is he so delightfully awkward she wonders until he finishes "ah, somethings should just be ours."

Ours. That startles her; it means more to her now than it ever has before.

"Agreed," she says, leaning against the door frame, "You and me," she adds just to make him smile.

"I did tell them you'd be there soon; let's not make that a lie," she says, leaving the room and walking down the hall.

His movement behind her is quick before he asks," Wait, wait, Arry, tie, or no tie?" He sounds so unsure.

There he is leaning against the door frame, looking thoroughly delectable, "Please, Gendry, don't make it harder for me to undress you later," she says walking back to him, pleased that any nervousness that was in his eyes vanishes as she undoes his top two buttons. He didn't put his undershirt back on, she notices, but then her stomach roars with warmth when she sees a hint of red to one side of the skin she reveals. It's not too much to be noticeable unless you're looking for it. 

"No tie then," he says like he is short of breath, that's interesting she thinks as she kisses his cheek before leaving him to it.

He's buttoning his vest when he walks in on her lying on the carpet with Nym a minute later.

"You going to wait for Sansa to find out, or are you going to call and tell her yourself?" he asks, clearly curious for her answer as he picks up his phone from the counter and puts it in his pocket before crossing to the mirror by the door, it's in an effort to tame his hair it seems.

Shrugging because her answer is the less proactive of the two options, "I want to see how fast the Tyrell rumor mill runs in real-time, I think," she says, Sansa will be calling her within in the next hour, she'd confidently bet money on it.

He nods along with her answer, amused. "Yeah, Garlan is surprisingly bad about it," he says as he smooths out his clothes while she gets up off the carpet and sits sideways on the couch with Nym at her heels.

"Well, will I do?' he asks timidly, his nervousness showing through.

"Oh yes definitely," she says, unable to stop herself from licking her lips, which causes him to laugh. "But come here; I messed up your hair in the back," she says, waving him closer and motioning for him to sit in front of her.

After he sits and she's smoothed down his soft hair, her hands migrate down to his shoulders, kneading at a couple of small knots she finds in his neck through the fabric of his vest when he leans back into her, "You should consider wearing dress shirts more often; they do wonderful things for your arms," she says as he shifts his arms doing something she can't see.

"I'll think about it," he says, rotating his neck when her hands slide down to his arms.

Surprised when she gets to a certain point and finds that he's rolled up his sleeves. She squeaks and rests her head between his shoulder blades tracing the muscles of his forearms.

"What?" he asks, trying and failing to sound casual, but he knows now what his arms can do to her, he's teasing her on purpose, and she knows that now.

"That is just unfairly cruel," she says sharply, more frustrated than anything else suddenly.

"Wait a few hours, undress me then," he says, amusement in his voice as he gets up, it's a promise and an offer all at once.

"I think you'll find that I am capable of undressing you in my mind as often as I like, dear," she says, watching as a blush rises on his face.

His voice is breathy, almost laughing as he says, "Well, that was a line, wasn't it?" She can see it, the adoring way he's looking at her. It seems so right on his features. Like it's been right there hiding just under the surface this whole time.

"You loved it," she replies, her voice almost accusing him of it. Standing and walking to him as she sees him shake his head.

"I love you, and I love your imagination," he says, leaning his forehead against hers.

She sees a smirk rise on his lips; there's something he's not saying. It takes her a second to figure it out, oh he has an imagination of his own, doesn't he. "I'm not alone in this; there's something that I wear that you've imagined taking off of me," the confidence with which she says it surprises him, she can see it in his eyes.

Nodding his head, his eyes full of amusement, he replies, holding her hips now, "Many things but mainly the oversized tee-shirts that you wear to bed." 

Scrunching her nose at him, confused, "You're going to have to explain the appeal to me, I think," she says. It's really not very attractive in her mind, her oversized tee shirts.

"They make your legs look so...," he starts softly, the smirk still on his lips, "it doesn't help that a lot of the time it looks like you have nothing on underneath," that she understands better, "and your thighs Arry I just," he pauses again looking at her, "gods you don't even realize, do you?"

"Realize what?" she asks, faking ignorance, but she can see the second he realizes that she's doing it.

He somehow softens even more, how that's possible she doesn't know. But he leans down and whispers in her ear, "Put one of those shirts on after I get home, and I'll show you." His words and his breath against her ear sends heat straight down in her, and she almost moans.

The sound that does escape from her is strained, but she can see his eyes dilate as he looks at her.

Just needing him, she pulls him closer, his gaze split between her eyes and then down to her lips. Stretching up and throwing her arms around his shoulders, she closes the distance between them.

It begins as a searing kiss, so much want is conveyed through it. The heat in her just keeps building. It's not until he starts grinning through it that it slows to a simmer, a slow give and take between them that they haven't as of yet figured out. It feels like this kiss, that it could last forever between them.

He's the one to break the kiss; she knows that—her lips, trying to chase his as he does it. 

The expression on his face is calm when she opens her eyes, his own still closed.

It’s when she rests her head on his chest that he shifts and loosen his hold on her. It’s a surprise that he asks, "You still want Chinese for dinner?"

Nodding against him, she can hear his breath, a slow inhale, then an exhale, and again before he says, "I should be done at the office between 5:15 and 6:00.” His tone suddenly concerning, it’s tighter than it had been in the last few minutes, but she knows why.

Bringing a hand to cup his cheek, she lifts her head to look at him, seeing the panic steadily growing behind his eyes she says, "Just text me when you want me to call in the order. You want your usual?"

He nods in response, but nothing changes, suddenly feeling powerless to help, she gives in, asking outright, "Can I do anything?"

"You've done so much,” he says, his tone is almost apologetic, then he sighs heavily, some tension leaving his shoulders, "It’s just; this is a lot, the last five and a half months of my life.” He’s feeling the pressure; he’d done so well up until this point bearing it.

"I know,” she says, her thumb tracing his lips twice before shifting to his chin and tilting his head down more, controlling their eye contact, "You can do this, Gendry. You'll be great,” her words traveling the tiny space between them. 

His eyes react before the rest of him, peering at her like he's trying to find any sort of lie, but he's unable to, because there was none. "Thank you," he says, leaning down, his breath brushing against her lips before he closes the fraction between them.

It's a fast kiss with so much emotion driving them forward, pouring all her feelings into. She knows he feels it too, the intensity.

She pulls away as he slows it down, the look in his eyes when he opens them is slightly different now. A smile grows on his face as he says, "I’ve decided just now to be too distracted to overthink or worry about anything today." The words "because of you," go unsaid, but she hears them anyway.

"Happy to help," she replies, running her thumb along his cheekbone three times before lacing their fingers together.

He walks them back towards the door, her puzzled expression meeting his amused one. Undoing the lock and opening the door, he leans her against the door frame and then lets go of her completely. Taking a step back from her, watching for her reaction, she nods, and he steps further away, never turning from her. 

Pressing the button when he reaches the elevator, they just keep staring at each other during the wait. When it arrives, he flashes her another smile before turning and entering past the open doors.

She stands there in the doorway for a bit even after he's left, just breathing through her rapid thoughts.

Closing the door behind her, she finds Nym, her eyes closed, still by the couch.

Laying down next to her and giving her scritches, she sees Nym's eyes starting to open more. 

"Yeah, that all really did just happen," she says to Nym, needing to say it out loud to reaffirm it to herself.

Nym rolls over and presents her belly for continued pets. Her tail thumping on the floor fast and faster with each long stroke of her fur.

"After Sansa calls, we'll go out running, does that sound nice?" she asks, waiting a bit before she continues the conversation by herself, "Yes, around the park," she says, knowing that's the route that she's been enjoying most lately.

Laying her head against Nym's side, her fur moving with each exhale of her breath, she wills herself to relax. But her memories come back in waves.

She's only brought out of her thoughts when she hears a distinct ringing from her phone a room away.

"Well, that didn’t take long," she says to Nym as she gets up off the carpet, Nym following her as she crosses into her bedroom. 

Picking up her phone from her bed, she answers the call and hears Sansa’s high pitched excited voice at the other end, not saying anything yet; she lies down on the floor again, phone at her side, joining Nym by her dog bed. Only turning on speakerphone once she’s settled herself. 

What she hears makes her burst out laughing. Sansa’s enthusiast voice practically screaming, "... SO EXCITED ARYA I JUST HEARD THE MOST WONDERFUL THING ABOUT YOU AND GENDRY AND…" 

Interrupting Sansa before she can continue, she cuts in saying while continuing to laugh, "Sansa calm down and breathe. A normal voice level or I’m not telling you anything.” 

She can hear her sister breathing through the phone; she must have just gotten out of session, she’s always dying to talk afterward.

"So, is it true?” Sansa asks, "Loras and Garlan aren't as reliable for information like this as Margaery is and before I get too excited…"

Gods, she has to interrupt her again, "Doc, do you expect me to speak at any point during this conversation?” She’s truly curious about the answer. 

"Oh yeah, sorry,” Sansa says quickly, the tone of her voice makes it clear that she does feel bad about it at that moment.

"It’s true,” she starts after a beat, "It just happened, he came home to change his shirt, and I took the afternoon off today,” there’s no need to be too specific she thinks as she continues, "and there was already something else we needed to talk about. But in the middle of that whole thing, I told him that I love him."

Sansa waits a few seconds to see if she’s going to say more unprompted but, she’s rather enjoying drawing this out.

"What did he do?” Sansa asks, curiousness clear in her voice.

She relives the moment in her mind before she says, "He got on the couch with me and held me while I kept talking, and then when I was done, he told me that he loves me."

That’s the first time she said that out loud, a giddy feeling fills her as she says it again, "He loves me."

“Ar?” Sansa asks quietly.

"I'm still processing it all, Sans,” she says as an explanation. 

Sansa stays quiet on the line letting her feel before she hears a voice clearing before she asks, "After he said that, what did you do?” 

"We kissed mostly, we didn’t get much further before I remembered he had to go back to work, he left a little bit ago,” she says, looking at the clock, he’s probably made it back by now she thinks, it’s not that far.

"The presentation for the clients is today?” Sansa asks, almost like she’s sure of it but still is questioning it.

"Yeah. If they don’t like the design, they'll probably have to start back at square one,” she says, letting her own nervousness for today reach her voice, that would be the worst-case scenario, but it could happen. 

She distracts herself from that thought as she realizes something strange. "It’s weird without this job today would never have happened,” she says to Sansa, "It's the whole reason he didn't have enough time to look at places before his lease ran out."

Hearing Sansa hmmm in agreement, she remembers something she knew she wanted to ask when Sansa called, "Which one of them sent you the text about this?"

"Garlan texted, but then Loras called me,” Sansa says in that sisterly knowing voice that reminds her of when they were younger.

That just brings up other questions, "Did everyone else know how we felt? Were we just that blind to it?” she asks, not sure if she really wants to know the answer to that, but she asks it anyway. Nym shifts her head to rest on her at this point, probably sensing her sudden apprehension.

Sansa just laughs, "You both are masters at stealthily sending each other longing looks if that's what you're asking. I’m not surprised neither of you could see it."

“Sansa,” she says, her tone purposely short in that second.

"Ok, honesty, many people will be surprised,” Sansa starts, "some won't be shocked at all, and there's a few who already thought you were dating and were confused when they found out that he was only moving into your spare bedroom."

"Did people think that?” she asks, unable to believe it, "You knew, why didn't you tell me?"

She can almost hear some regret in Sansa’s voice as she begins to explain, “You two had to get here yourselves or you stubbornly never would have,” that she can agree with at least now that she has an idea of how long this has taken for them both, "and you hate it when I psychoanalyze you, so I’ve purposefully never asked about you and him. I don’t think you would have believed me if I had said something.” 

"That’s probably true,” she admits to the phone, petting Nym's head for support. 

"Arya, how long have you been in love with him?” There’s one of the many questions she was sure Sansa was going to ask.

"I can’t even answer that question,” she says softly, "because it was a gradual thing, maybe I've always sort of loved him.” She tries to find the words to explain it, the gut feeling that’s come over her, but she doesn’t find the right ones. All she gets out is, "It’s always been easy and natural between us, when we were only friends, and now, so far, this is the same, I’ve never, no other relationship has felt this uncomplicated, it's just us,” it's weird, she realizes that just thinking about it makes her smile.

"Arya, you sound happy,” Sansa says, sounding more like her sister than a member of her profession, which she didn't assume would happen right now.

"Thank you for that observation doc,” she says, teasing Sansa, "Loras said the same thing, actually."

"And how did that make you feel?” Sansa says, and now she’s switched it, and is doing it on purpose.

“Sansa,” she says in a warning tone, waiting to hear her sister laugh before she says,” I'm going to go."

"Say you love me,” her sister replies in a playfully amused tone. 

"Love you, Sans,” she replies, laughing too.

"Love you too, Ar,” Sansa says quickly. 

Before either of them can end the call, she remembers something else she needs to tell her sister, "Oh wait, you should check to see if Lady needs any boosters, Nym was due for one in two weeks."

She can tell that Sansa’s writing it down as she says, "I'll do that as soon as I get home. Want me to post it in the group chat for the boys?"

"Yes, please, I'm going to largely ignore my phone this weekend, probably,” she admits, trying to sound casual about it.

"As your sister, I thank you for the warning, so I know you're not ignoring me, and professionally I can't recommend this idea enough,” she can tell that Sansa knows the reason.

"Bye, Sans,” she says quickly. Then she turns her head, ending the connection. That feeling fills her again, that happiness settling within her.

Nym makes a noise, and she turns back towards her observant best friend, "What do you think about all this, Nym?"

Her nostrils flare as she noses into her shirt, smelling something, "That's right; he does smell nice."

That just makes her nose her harder, not smelling anything then, "Alright, alright, I'll get up,” she says, sitting up. 

Nym does too, sitting up beside her, obviously ready to go on her promised run. Wrapping her arms in a hug around Nym, she says, "Having it happen now feels right, don't you think?"

Nym, presses her nose into her neck, a very positive response. "Yeah, this is happening," she says, mostly to herself before standing up and following Nym back out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've answered some questions in the comments, one gives more backstory and context that won't appear in this main fic. If you have any questions please ask them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is nearly all smut so if anyone doesn't want to read it the time to check out is at the ------ There will be another chapter, with snippets of fluff if that's your thing.

A chill runs through her, goosebumps rising on her skin as she hears the door open. She knew he was on his way, but having him home again is infinitely better than just expecting him. 

"Arya, I have food,” he calls through her open bedroom door, "You want to talk first or eat first?” 

"Put it in the fridge, unless you're hungry, and in that case, we can eat first,” she calls back from the closet, finishing tying back her now neater braid and pulling a long and baggy tee-shirt over her head and grinning to herself in her reflection, it basically looks like a nightgown to her, but he’s going to be plenty pleased by it she thinks as she walks through to her room, hearing the fridge door close and the sink begin to run. 

She makes sure Nym is still dozing in the living room before she allows herself to look at him, turned slightly away from her, washing his hands and then filling and drinking a glass of water. 

Walking up behind him, she gets close before he even registers her presence, hugging his midsection tightly and resting her head against his back, she asks, "How do you think the presentation went?"

"Really well actually, they liked it,” he says as she releases her hold on him. He turns to look at her, one side of his lips quirk upward when he sees what she’s wearing, but ignoring it for now, he continues, "We should know by Monday if they'll be asking for any…"

He stops suddenly, watching her expression, he’s so damn smart. "Arya, what is it?” he asks, suspicion suddenly in his eyes.

Hopping up on the counter beside him she says, taking his bare forearm she guides him closer, "I already know that it went well,” she says enjoying the confusion on his face as she takes his hand, dragging her thumb along the edge of his fingernails, pleased to find them smooth and clean. She has plans for them later, after all. 

Still stunned beside her, she pulls him closer, her leg wrapping around his hip, and he follows the wordless direction perfectly. "You should ask me how I have that information,” she suggests, unable to hide her smile any longer.

His eyes narrow, searching her face for any information as he asks, "What do you know?"

"I heard a rumor,” she says, shrugging her shoulders, and he reacts to the words, eager to hear more. 

"Renly and Loras called a little bit ago and said you were fantastic today, incredibly impressive,” she says, looking at his face as he blushes at the complements before she continues, "They also said that you left early and some very important people called right after you did."

The question is written all over him, but it remains unsaid.

“Congratulations,” she says, hugging him again, pressing so close together she feels his breath leave his chest.

"Really? It has been approved? Everything?” he sounds so shocked as he asks it.

She nods, and the tension in him lessons some, disappearing entirely as she says, "Yes, everything, all of it.” It’s not until she says that she suspects that he lets himself believe it. 

The sudden celebration she feels within him increasing exponentially as she whispers, "I'm so proud of you, Gen. You worked so hard, you deserve this."

He kisses her, overwhelmed by emotion, needing an outlet for it somehow. His hands tracing up her back and settling around her, returning the hug.

"They thought I could figure out a nice way to tell you and that you'd enjoy hearing it from me most,” she explains once he has broken the kiss, resting his forehead against hers and breathing slowly.

"Well, they weren't wrong,” he says a laugh in his voice, suddenly he’s full of emotion again looking at her “thank you, for everything you did to help me through it."

"Of course, anytime,” she replies. She'd help him however she could. 

"You left early?” she asks, already knowing what it means.

“I had somewhere very important to get to,” he explains, looking at her in the terribly soft way she’s learning makes her blush. "Someone special to be with,” he admits quietly, like it’s a secret, making her feel treasured in a way she’s beginning to realize she may never have been before. 

His hands lessen their hold on her, coming around and resting lightly at her sides, drifting upwards as he asks, "You alright with this Arry?” grazing the bottom of her breasts.

"Would I have worn this if I wasn’t?” she asks back, and he takes it for the yes it is. She can feel his warm hands take a proper hold of her, circling his thumbs over her covered nipples. He's not watching her body as he does it, but he is focused on her face, her smile growing, and her eyes momentarily closing as he does it.

"You're gorgeous,” he says, his desire clear from him as he continues, she shakes slightly as a chill comes over her, her nipples peaking due to his words and his attentions. He makes her feel seen and understood so easily. 

She tries to kiss him with her eyes closed but misses, her lips landing on his jaw, nibbling there for a moment until his hands leave her breasts, traveling down to her bare thighs. She can hear it; his breathing has increased, matching hers. 

His hands rest where they are, just feeling her skin she’s about to guide them up and under the long hem of the shirt herself when he does it. Opening her eyes, she sees the want in his own, his slow, deliberate movements, driving her insane, as his hands make their way under the fabric, exploring new bits of her he’s never touched.

"Arya I…” he starts to say something but stops suddenly, once he’s reached where the edge of her sleep shorts would be.

“Yes?” she asks, trying to sound innocent as his hands continue upward. 

He looks down, the long shirt still covering her, as he realizes there’s no additional fabric of any kind to be found under her shirt.

"Arya Stark, you’re trying to seduce me,” he says, his voice is so deep and full of amusement as his hands take hold of her where they are, not moving even a little bit further. He shakes his head as if he’s trying to understand something, "What about taking, that was your idea,” he asks, lifting his head to look into her eyes. 

"I’m not trying to do anything; I am seducing you, love,” she explains, reaching between them and finding his hardening cock beneath her hand just as she suspected it would be. 

"We could still talk first, but I figure, what's the one thing we should talk about before we do this?” she says, slowly sliding her hand away from him and her fingers curling between two buttons on his vest.

She watches as his eyes widen, dilating so they almost seem black, so little of the blue visible as he says, "What we like in bed,” in a way that sends a thrill through her. He’s so smart, able to see her plans once she has put them in place.

“Hmmm,” she says, nodding, running her free hand through his hair, "And I think there will be time for some for that during and the rest of it after, think you can handle that?"

Closing his eyes before he speaks, she sees him trying to control himself before he says, "I love you so much."

"As you should,” she says, nodding in agreement, making the small laugh lines at the corners of his still closed eyes appear when he nods at her self-assured reply. It strikes her that even yesterday she wouldn’t have been able to say that, but now she’s so certain of all this she can’t help but say everything to him, everything that seems important about this.

Then the moment ends, his hands leave her legs and take hold of her elbows, his fingers slightly tickling her with small strokes as his intense eyes open. 

"We'll have plenty of time tonight to talk about everything else, but I'm desperate to fuck you, and I trust that you are too,” she says, bringing her legs closer together, brushing against his hardness.

He opens his mouth as if to say something but closes it again, looking at her with such eagerness in his eyes. 

When he finally does speak, it’s with his eyes first watching hers for her response as he says, "We talk through it all and anything that's not going how we want we say it, and we pause immediately," she nods as an answer, "Condoms?” he asks directly after that. He’s reacting so precisely like she thought he would be at this moment, hells she needs him now. 

"Yes, unless it’s incredibly inconvenient in the moment,” she agrees, but she’s sure to leave them the options of some, still safe, spontaneity because that absolutely does count for something when it comes to sex.

Fucking gods, what is she kidding herself for? This, it’s not just sex or fucking, this is love, she needs to get used to admitting that to herself and to him.

Watching him bite his bottom lip excited as he nods yes in agreement before she pushes him back a bit, just enough space between them for her to get down off the counter.

She’s not making the same lapse in judgment twice on the same day, so before she reaches up to get him to lean down so she can kiss him, her hands go to his fucking belt again. Deftly taking hold of it this time, she can feel him laughing as she leaves it undone around his waist, the metal of the buckle smooth in her hand as she pulls him closer with each end. That stops his laughter to her satisfaction.

Looking up at him, she doesn’t need to do anything else before his lips are on hers the next second, his hands taking hold of her shoulders, guiding her through the kiss. Traveling down her arms and taking a gentle hold of her hands as it slows, the heat in her expanding exponentially with each additional moment. 

“Arya,” he says, sounding winded, which she will admit inflates her ego a bit, knowing she can affect him so much. 

\------

His hands leave hers, one, then the other, tugging slightly at the bottom part of her shirt. Asking wordlessly for permission for something she was almost certain would have happened already by now.

Taking hold of the fabric with him at the start, she pulls up, and so does he. She stops when she needs to help her arms through the short sleeves. Her eyes catching his the next moment, seeing nothing but want and adoration reflected in them. He drops the shirt beside them and tosses her braid back over her shoulder. 

His eyes follow that movement; she doesn’t think he’s even looked down at her body before he’s staring at where the three red marks that he left on her earlier would be if they hadn't disappeared already. He leans in, pressing a light kiss to each spot as one arm wraps around her again, holding her to him. His lips travel up her neck to her jaw, brushing against her skin as his other hand rests on the curve of her neck, his fingers running themselves back and forth against her skin. 

Mouths so close together, they’re breathing the same air as she rests her forehead against his, their noses brushing against one another. The slow progression is nearly driving her mad. This just continues, not getting any further apart but not getting closer either. 

Her hands start to undo some of the buttons of his vest, but that doesn’t even get him to react. 

Pulling him in by his shirt, she feels him smile, his lips nearing hers, but he stops a fraction before.

"Gods Gendry,” she sighs, frustrated but so turned on by this slow build between them. 

"The gods don't have anything to do with this love,” his voice deep and gravelly, so unlike any tone she thinks she’s ever heard from him before, but it’s still Gendry beneath it all she thinks, and that thought makes her pull him flush against her. 

Fabric against her skin as his hands come to cup the sides of her face, bringing her in and finally ending the stalemate. She doesn’t know who would be seen as the victor, but judging by the sweet kisses they begin trading between them, that grow more heated by the second, she thinks that it’s very possible that they both would be.

Her hands still between them she finishes undoing the buttons on his vest as he wraps a hand into her hair at the back of her neck, his other sliding down the side of her neck, coming to rest between her breasts.

"It's just you and me,” he says, his lips in an almost permanent smile that she never wants to see leave his face again. 

Undoing some of the buttons in the middle of his shirt, she snakes her hand inside touching skin finally as she replies, "I love you too."

"Yours or mine?” he asks breathlessly, maybe it's because of her touch she's not sure, but gods if she’s able to make him breathless just with her touch, what else can she do to him she wonders.

Pulling him along with both ends of his belt as she walks backward towards her room, she sees him look at her for the first time as his hands take hold of her hips, he's obviously pleased with what he sees.

Leaning in again, he kisses her lightly before says, "Your shirt, I had plans..." as if it will be truly missed.

"There's plenty more in here," she assures him as they reach her doorway, walking through it she lets go a bit and is surprised when he wraps his warm arms around her in a hug again. She realizes as she settles into his embrace that she should be colder than she is.

"I get to love you," he says, like he still can't quite believe it, his words come from a heated breath that lands against her neck, she leans on the wall just inside her room to keep upright.

Nodding against him, she says, "Yes, you do," she sighs, stretching to get her lips as close to his as possible. "Love me like I need you to. Please, Gen," she doesn't mind begging, especially not when it's like this, moments from a kiss as his hands begin to explore her more thoroughly after he shuts her door behind them.

His touches are smooth, gliding along, leaving heated skin in their wake. Seemingly random to start, just him watching to see her reaction. They gain a purpose quickly, making her shake in the sensation, she's not sure if that's what he wanted, but it is what's happening, her breath increasing, her heart pounding in her chest. 

Shortly into this, she realizes what this reminds her of; it's like he's tracing the lines on a blueprint he's reading for the first time, the careful consideration of it. He's prolonging this, going back and studying her reaction when he touched one side, then a minute later, mirroring the touch on the opposite side of her, looking for differences. 

A hand settles on her below her bellybutton into her trimmed hair, just above where she wants his fingers most, his middle finger practically touching her clit.

"Tell me, what were you imagining that had you moaning my name," he asks, curious. Hells, if she wasn't already soaked, this is what would have done it. From the look in his eye, she sees that he knows that too.

It takes her an almost embarrassingly long time to gather her reply in her mind, and getting the words out is another matter entirely. "It happened three times today. Which one do you mean?" she might be being too much of a tease with that, but he has been too, and she does want him to know exactly what he can inspire in her when she's motivated.

"Three times?" the surprised tone of his voice makes her laugh against his neck.

Kissing him there quickly before she says, her hands returning to his shirt buttons, "I’ll tell you, but your shoes need to go first, and the rest of your clothes too."

She gets to work on more of his buttons as he kicks off his shoes, then his socks go, stepping on the tips of one foot and pulling then, repeating with the other. She must be halfway done by now; she thinks as his hands leave her and start to help instead, going for the topmost buttons. 

"Yes, we need to get everything off of you, love,” she says, kissing his chest as her hands make their way south, going for his zipper. She feels him still beside her as she pulls it down, popping the button open and shoving her hand down, helping them fall to his ankles as she palms him again. She feels him twitch, straining against the fabric that confines him in place. 

He finishes the last of the buttons then, pulling his shirt and vest off, how he even kept his vest on this long she will never understand she clearly wasn't thinking, she looks at him now bare except for his black boxer briefs. 

Slipping her hands under the fabric, she holds on to his ass and shifts closer. He lifts her a bit, aligning them, her clit against his hard cock, it’s delicious and just what she needs, like he can sense this one of his hands shift to her lower back, keeping her there. 

She’s greedy, letting him hold her as she rethinks what she was about to do. Her hands come out, except for her thumbs, she whispers, “Everything off except these, keep these on for now,” against his lips and snaps the elastic waistband against his skin.

He practically growls in response, holding her tighter and grinding into her, searching for his own pleasure.

"Three times?” he asks, and it takes her a bit to remember, kissing him lightly while she thinks.

"Three times,” she breathes, "twice in my bath, the second one you heard, and once around 3:45 today,” she stops moving, waiting for him to catch up and understand what she did.

"While I was…” he starts to say, but she only grins in reply, he’s so turned on by it, she can feel it. "That’s so fucking…” he shakes his head, lowering her back completely on to the floor. His hands traveling up to her shoulders before he breathes out what could almost be her name, “Arya,” against her neck.

She sneaks her thumbs into his waistband and turns them around his back to the wall as she kisses him swiftly. Helping him to step out of his trousers as she leads them towards her bed.

Once their thighs hit the edge of the bed, she sits on it, keeling on it the next moment she pulls him closer. She lets go of her hold on him gently this time as he starts to kneel on the bed himself, as he says, “Tell me what you need."

“I need plenty from you, Gen,” she says when he moves to join her, pulling him down to lay beside her once he’s completely on the bed.

He kisses her forehead as he softly asks, “What can I can do first?”

“You should hold me,” she suggests, needing more contact, she suspects that he does too, but it also causes him to laugh. He rolls closer and holds her as close as she holds him.

"Now, what about what you need from me?” she asks, looking for only the truth in his eyes.

"I just need you, need you here,” he says, he's so sincere.

She can’t keep in a laugh at how cheesy that line just was, “I’m here,” she says, teasing him.

He kisses her then, lips first, then down her throat. Repeating the sweet kisses across her collar bone, his hands suddenly are everywhere, driving her mad, fingers gently tickling down her sides and across her chest.

"Gendry,” she moans, rolling onto her back as she musters up enough focus on getting the word out, his breath hot against her skin, is terribly distracting. She can feel his smile against her chest as he makes his way down between her breasts, Taking hold of one as he kisses the other just above her nipple.

Their eyes meet again, his eyes so dark, watching her reactions. "Arya, how do you want this?” he asks. She knows what she wants, and from the look on his face, she’s going to have it. Multiple times if she has her way, which she suspects she will.

"Get me close, then back off, then do it again,” she says, watching him process every word. She waits for him to move off of her some before she pushes herself up a little, her arms behind her. Before he’s about to ask for more before she says, "make me wait just a little longer for it, and Gendry, a little bit of pain helps."

The love in his eyes, he knows what she’s asking for.

His voice, deep asking, "Arya, mouth or…"

"Fingers, I need your fingers first,” she says, telling him how she’s always imagined it in the past, it always starts with curious fingers that are thicker than her own.

She pulls him down for a kiss after that, wiping off the smirk that she is sure was about to appear on his lips, his fingers tangle into her hair, and as he pulls back, breaking the kiss, he whispers, "Scoot back,” against her mouth. 

After he lets go of her, she adjusts herself, so her back is supported against her pillows. His hands start running down her legs, kissing the side of her calves sweetly before he bends her legs at her knees, left then right—his breath causing goosebumps to rise on her skin.

She lets her legs open, he notices, but it doesn't seem to distract him from his continued attention to her legs and inner thighs. With each kiss, she widens her legs just a bit more. 

Pinching her nipples, she can't hold in her moan as he nips at her thigh with his teeth. Her moan breaks his focus; he looks up at the sound. Maybe he was waiting for it. His tongue traces where his teeth just were, soothing the spot. 

"So pretty,” he says after getting closer, his pointer and middle fingers tracing the outside of her folds, he’s being frustrating on purpose, “and soaked,” he says, an observation only until he gathers what must have been at the edge of his touch.

Licking his fingertips clean, he looks at her as he does it, nearly causing her to roll them over so she can return the favor and give him some attention. 

"Arya, show me how to touch you so I can keep you on edge," he never breaks eye contact as he says it. His words end any thoughts she had about changing their positions. 

She can do that, reaching down she slips two fingers into herself, gathering her own wetness, pressing in a little bit before she takes her fingers out and brings them up. Touching her clit for a few blissful seconds before she starts rubbing right above her clit and letting her eyes close just to enjoy the feeling.

He kisses up her thighs, closer to her center now, and a minute later, when she looks up, he's staring at her fingers, as if he's memorizing her movements. 

Licking his lips when he notices that she's watching him, he gets even closer to where she needs him most.

After what feels like ages, he brings a hand between her thighs again, a finger hovering gently against her opening, asking permission it seems. She nods, and then his finger is in her, he gives her time to adjust before another mirrors the movements of the first.

She's barely nodded before it sinks into her, the two stretching her more than her own two fingers can in comparison. A bit more deeply than she's used to, but it's too good all the same.

He's still watching her fingers, but his gaze drifts back and forth between that and her face, reading her for when she gets close, which only spurs her on faster.

"Gendry," she manages to moan just as she's nearing her crest, clenching twice around his fingers and her heartbeat thrums in her ears, she lifts her fingers off of herself, and he quickly removes his fingers from her.

"Rest," he says, his tone sweet but somewhat commanding, which works for her fine. He takes her hand and kisses right above her knuckles before he brings her fingers into his mouth, sucking them clean. 

He leans his head against her hip, watching her as the feelings settle some. It's made more difficult with every exhale of his breath against her, a constant reminder of what they’re doing.

Then he's starting again, his thumb opening her up for a moment. He takes it out and holds it just above her clit.

"Is this what you want, Arya?" he asks, and she can only nod, holding back her gasps biting her bottom lip to keep in her noises.

He shakes his head, "No, I want you loud, just like you were earlier," he explains, his words making her wetter.

"Gendry please," she says, wanting his hands on her desperately.

He smiles at that; he starts to say, "Is this..."

"Yes," she says, interrupting him, already knowing the question.

It's then that his two fingers enter her again, and his thumb starts rubbing just where hers was before, but because of the position of his hand, he also grazes across her clit with each movement. 

Her hands grip into his hair to steady herself. The closer she gets, the more tightly she holds onto his hair, which he does seem to enjoy, she notices judging by his smile when she tugs a little too much, what she wouldn't do for that mouth to be on her right now.

The feelings all together begin to bring her close, she exhales, "Gen,” as a warning on a shallow breath, and he slows his movements gradually. His fingers stopping just in time.

"Rest," he says before he continues kissing her inner thighs, his eyes never leaving hers the whole time. 

It’s not long before she’s telling him, "Again," her voice lower than she expected as she says it, "I need, mouth..."

"What’s that, love?" he asks nearing her center, she's not sure if he's teasing her or if he really couldn't hear her.

Taking a moment, she clears her throat, and then she says, "Mouth," she's much more sure that he'd be able to understand.

"Where?" he asks, she can't believe he's fucking teasing her at this moment even as his fingers hover just outside of her.

She sounds so frustrated as she says, "You fucking know where." She bites on her tongue in surprise; she didn't mean to say it like that.

"Yes, I do," he says, much more satisfied than he should be; she wants action, not words. 

Oh fuck, there he is, though. His lips kissing her gently before his tongue replaces the attention against her. A light pressure first, then his hands move, spreading her open for him to see all of her. The heat of his breath against her and the look in his eyes as they lift to hers for a moment is enough to almost make her beg. 

He gets to it before she can, though, his nose rubbing against her clit as his tongue starts a slow survey of her folds. Tracing right then left, center, bottom to top, repeating the circuit three damn near earth-shattering times before his tongue enters her. Exploring for a moment and moaning, the subtle vibration of it is delicious. She's positive that she could get off from this alone if given enough time, but she doesn’t want that, at least not right now. She's by no means embarrassed by the sounds that come out, but they are much less fully formed, gasps, and high pitched whining that has him smiling against her. 

Trying to calm her breathing with little success; her chest rising and falling rapidly as each moment passes. Tugging his head from her and guiding him up towards her clit, she trusts that he gets the intention when he sides his tongue up and over her clit and begins to circle it with the tip of his tongue. 

He distracts her from that when hands stop spreading her, the same two fingers gently stroking her folds. He takes a few deep breaths himself at this point, using his nose instead of his tongue to continue this blissful torture. He lifts one of her legs to rest across his back, opening her up more to him as the heat of each of his exhales against her makes her clench against nothing. 

Using that momentary need, she focuses on the words she needs to get out, eventually managing to say, "So good but fingers too, please,” so desperately that she closes her eyes and feels him move his fingers back into her moments later. 

They don't go in as deeply this time; he's so close to that spot within her that will make her cum. When he brushes against it, the squeak she makes certainly gets his attention.

Eyes meeting, he repeats the motion, his blue eyes lighting up as he recognizes what he’s doing to her. It makes him circle her clit faster; she thinks, or maybe it’s just a combination of it all that makes it seem like he is. 

“Gendry,” she says suddenly, so close to cumming, she tugs his hair to get his attention, and it works, his mouth leaves her, and his fingers press against her one more time before slipping from her.

“Hmmm,” he hums, the vibration of it enough make her wonder how far they could get with just him humming, his lips touching specific areas of her skin. "Yes, rest,” he says, his hand finding hers where it rests against her stomach after she let go of his hair.

It strikes her at that moment how alike but different this is from what she imagined earlier today in her bath, and how infinitely better this is. There’s no comparison that can be made; this, him, he's everything she wants.

"Kiss me,” she says once she’s thought about it a bit too much, needing him even closer to her than he already is. 

He must mistake her meaning though she thinks as he starts pressing lazy kisses where he can most easily reach, making her squirm.

"This is something like worship," she mutters to herself, letting her head fall back onto her pillows, and he slows then, perking up, asking her what she just said wordlessly with his eyes. 

She just shakes her head, trying to get him to continue.

But he doesn’t, asking, "More, is that what you want, Arya?” that’s when she notices that she’s now blocking his ears with her thighs. 

She opens her legs a little more so he can hear. "No, I said...” she starts to tell him, but his smile distracts her, "kiss me,” she says again, this time bringing a hand up to her face and hopefully gliding a finger seductively along her lower lip.

It must work as he's extracted himself from his position and is at her side in a matter of seconds. She can taste herself on his lips and tongue as he kisses her. A long deep kiss, slow in a sweet way with enough force to make her toes curl. 

His one arm is holding him up above her and the other exploring her as he likes, eventually finding her clit again. Making her pull away in the surprise of the touch. "How many more times?” he asks, the curiousness in his eyes overwhelming.

Lifting one hand, she holds up a single finger, grinning at him, he’s done a brilliant job in following her instructions, in making her wait but he’s checking with her now, giving her the option for more if she wanted it. 

"Once more?” he asks, leaving her side and positioning himself between her legs. She nods and keeps her finger up in the air. Her eyes following his as he looks her up and down.

"You need to cum,” it’s not a question; it’s a statement that couldn’t be more true.

“Yes,” she breathes out; she needs him so much right now. 

He surprises her by taking both her hands then, holding them softly. "Try to look me in the eyes as it happens. I want to watch you cum this time,” he explains, and she remembers, he heard her earlier and then made himself cum. That's something she needs to think about more later.

He guides her leg back, so it’s on his back, and then he does the same to the other, her feet laying flat on his back after she bends her knees. "Stay just like this,” he says, and that does come out like command.

It’s the last thing he says before he lowers his mouth to her again, his fingers opening her, the two at first, then a minute into it he slowly adds a third. He doesn’t let her get used to that before he starts sucking her clit. Her toes curl, and her legs start shaking, squirming until his free hand lays over her stomach, holding her steady 

"Gendry,” she says, her voice higher pitched, turning to wordless cries as he starts to press against that spot he found earlier. She grabs on to her breasts, trying to ground herself.

“Gendry,” she cries, meeting his eyes, and they're on her, lustful and pleading. It's the eye contact that sends her to the edge and past it, clenching around his fingers. She doesn't resist it as it happens, letting the blissful energy travel through her. Her eyes squint a bit, but she manages to watch him all the way through. 

He's still there with her as her breathing calms, never stopping, only slowing. He's licking her clit and tapping softly within her with a single finger as her mind returns to her head. 

She's still shaking, and the continued attention could make her cum again, but she needs to get her hands on him and watch how desperate he is for her.

The eyes on her notice the change in her expression she figures. The hand he has on her stomach reaches behind him and takes her leg off of his back, and she rather ungracefully manages to take the other one off by herself.

"Rest," he whispers against her inner thigh, wiping what was on his chin and face onto her skin before mouthing at it—licking her clean.

Oh, that's something they should talk about, another thing they share.

He wasn't overselling it when he said he was good. No, no, he certainly wasn't. 

Moving to his knees, she can see his cock, still covered and hard, but she can see a small damp spot that wasn't there when he stared this. Fucking hells, she needs to get her mouth on him.

She closes her eyes then, still recovering, still shaking slightly, and she feels him lay down beside her. Turning to him, eyes closed, she uses her hands to find his lips. Kissing him lazily and reaching down to feel him hard through his underwear.

He's so gentle, his hand sliding up and down her arm before reaching over and hovering over her clit, he's asking, she nods, and her legs start shifting closer, the shaking that had all but stopped returning.

"Fuck me," she manages to whisper against his lips, she's getting overstimulated, but it's still so good.

"I will, once you stop shaking," he says, chuckling, which only turns her on her further. She takes his hand off of her, resting it on her waist. She can feel what must be a smug smile as he kisses her again—moaning into the kiss when he pinches her nipple.

She has to open her eyes, breaking the kiss, she finds his eyes closed, and the happy expression on his face, he's so beautiful. 

"Fuck you," she says, her words slightly muffled through her laughter as she shifts closer, kissing his neck and biting his lower lip.

The laughter inside of him, she can feel it build before he asks, only mostly sarcastically, "Would you? That would be so kind."

"Give me a minute, love," she says in reply, matching his tone, but then she realizes that it's precisely what she wants to do. So she absolutely will.

His eyes are still closed, leaning in she says, "You know when I would imagine you, afterward," she pauses, waiting for his curiosity to get the better of him. Waiting for one, then two breaths, and there he is, she thinks as his eyes open, "afterward, you were always gone," she explains. 

His eyes soften, laying a hand on her cheek before he says, much more serious than he had just been, "I love you, and I'm here now, I'm with you."

"Yes, yes, you are," she says, turning to kiss his palm before taking it and putting it on her waist. 

Leaning in, she brushes her lips against his forehead before pulling back and just looking at him up and down. Yes, it's her turn now.

She explores the hair on his chest, running fingers over it before she settles her hand over his heart, feeling it beat, she smiles and says, "Right now you should lie down." 

He keeps smiling at her as he takes her words for the order it was. 

A calming air settles between them in their breaths. They’re slowing down, that hurried feeling of the last few minutes left behind. She traces his lips with a light finger, his eyes searching hers for her next move, but not finding it. 

"I was right about you, about us," she says in the air between them. 

"Hmmm?" he hums as an answer, "About what?" he's trying not to sound as curious as he is.

"We like many of the same things, I thought we might," she says, waiting for him to realize what she's talking about.

It doesn't take long, "Like?" he asks, "Name a few things." he suggests, oh yeah, that got his attention. This will be fun.

"You love watching," she says, lowering herself to rest on his ankles hooking her fingertips under the elastic of his underwear, "seeing me react to what you do," his eyes go so wide as she continues, "and you don't mind a little pain, giving or receiving."

The nod he gives her in reply is so small it must be an unconscious thing she thinks before she snaps the elastic against his skin on both sides.

His head drops against a pillow at that. Oh, he's so responsive. Her own body reacting to the snap, she's going to be soaked in a minute at this rate. 

Her head hovers just above his cock; she waits till he lifts his head up again before she starts kissing him through the fabric. His moan at the first kiss is so intense, moving from base to tip she lingers there, licking the damp spot before she licks her lips. 

Her pointer fingers returning to their places at the edge of his underwear as she says, "You like being in control some of the time, but it’s not a requirement for you to enjoy yourself, you’ll let me have my turns with you too." 

"Arya,” he gasps, sounding desperate as she pulls down his underwear, just enough to expose some of him to her. Taking the tip of him and licking it clean of his precum, she takes him into her mouth, not too much, but she does it for enough time that she’s concerned that he’ll get there too early.

Pulling his underwear down more she licks her palm before she takes hold of him at his base and hovers her lips so close that he can feel her words as she says, "And you know how to make me cum, which is fortunate love as I believe you found great pleasure in getting me off," she kisses his hips, to the right and left of him, "those things, among other things," she says into his skin.

He's smiling as he looks at her, silently questioning the last bit of what she just said.

"We'll have time later," she promises, lifting herself upright and taking her hands off of him before asking, "So how good at reading you am I Gendry?"

Yes, she thinks as he nods his head, "Incredibly perceptive," he says before he raises his hips a bit. 

Reaching under him lightly, running her nails along his skin as she pulls his underwear down and over his ass. Shifting off of him entirely so she can get them down and off his legs, tossing them over her shoulder towards the rest of his clothes.

Laying down next to him then, she meets his lips for a kiss, tossing her leg over his she grinds herself against his hip bone while her leg shifts against his cock.

He breaks the kiss shortly into this. "Arya," he says, sounding so raw and needy. His eyes, telling her the same things.

"Hmmm?" she hums against his cheek, purposefully doing it as he did earlier.

"Please," he gasps, hearing him beg for her, does more for her than she thought it would. She kisses his neck as she removes her leg from him. Then she turns, reaching for her nightstand. 

Pulling a condom from the drawer. She lifts herself up on one arm, facing him again, she shows him the packet. Leaning over him, she explains, "Took a few of these from your nightstand, didn't think you'd mind."

He shakes his head, he doesn't mind. He looks at her like he can't understand the sequence of events that led them here as she kneels beside him.

"Arya," he pleads as she takes him in hand after opening the packet. After rolling it on, she drops back down to his side, a hand on his chest, and the other reaching for his own and lacing their fingers together.

"What do you need, Gen?" she asks her head resting on his shoulder, his head turned towards her. 

"You," he replies softly, his expression and tone so sincere and desperate at the same time it makes her heart rate rise.

"You have me," she explains slowly, watching her words travel through him, "I’m here, so you're going to have to be a little more specific, dear," she says, and she waits to see him nod. 

His mouth opens, and a low moan comes out before he says, "Just like this, please." He gently squeezes her hand after he says it, and somehow she thinks she may have fallen in love with him just a little bit more as he does it.

She must be equally overwhelmed as he is at this point. Making herself move as she says, "Thought you might say that."

Straddling his waist, she sits on his cock for a minute, grinding against him. His fingers, rubbing her clit lightly. 

Her eyes never leaving his, she reaches back and lowers herself on to him slowly, bit by bit. It's not really too much of an issue, he prepared her well, but she loves prolonging this moment for them both.

The stretch is incredible; she thinks as she recognizes that she's taken him all in. His eyes still on her, breathing quickly, his finger is still on her clit, but it's at the moment unmoving. Like he knows she needs a second.

Closing her eyes just letting herself feel him, she rests her hands on his chest and just breathes. 

Her hips start grinding, and she hears him gasp beneath her, "Gendry," she says, not knowing what else to say.

"Arya, please open your eyes," his voice, his words make it past her thoughts, and she can understand it, what he's asking.

Her eyes meet blue, staring up at her like she's the most remarkable thing in his world. She's only able to see that because she feels the same way.

"Arya," he says, leaning up, balancing on his one arm towards her, changing the angle some, but he starts rubbing her clit again.

"Yes?" she manages to get out leaning towards him, suddenly desperate to reach him.

"Kiss me," he asks. It's such a simple request. Her hands shifting to his shoulders and pulling him closer. Wrapping her arms around his neck, her nails pressing into his skin, bringing them chest to chest, and trapping his hand between them. She kisses his cheek first, making him laugh before she quiets him with her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've answered some questions in the comments of chapter 2, one gives more backstory and context that won't appear in this fic. If you have any questions about plot and story and their emotions please ask them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \---- Acts as a scene breaks in this fic.
> 
> NOTE: There's a section of smut in this. It starts at ------ . If smut is not your thing go to the second ------ to pass it as there is more fluff to be found after it. 
> 
> This was going to be a very long last chapter but I decided to divide it between that night and the next morning. So that means more snippets of fluff is on the way.

Opening the bathroom door, she's greeted by him face down in the pillows, still on top of the bedding.

He'd been facing up when she left him there a couple of minutes ago.

But she doesn't mind that this position gives her a fantastic view of his ass, no, she doesn't mind that one bit. She didn't get to see much of it earlier, after all.

"You alright?" she asks, laughter bubbling up from her the longer she continues to watch him, he seems perfectly content, but the urge to check is still there.

He nods slowly as she crosses to the bed.

The warm light of the setting sun washes over them, making his tattoo and the tiny marks she left on his back stand out on his skin. Two matching sets on each shoulder—the left ones just above his tattoo. 

Running a finger along them, she sees him react, shoulders twitching.

"What are you doing?" he asks curiously after turning his head in her direction.

"My nails, I left some marks on your back," she explains, shifting her fingers a little bit lower to trace his tattoo. The line drawing of the stag looking down into it's distorted reflection in the large calm pool of water that extends towards the other side of his upper back.

Remembering the day years ago when he and Bella got their nearly matching tattoos. Holding both their hands as each took their turn getting it done.

"Did you break skin?" he asks softly, bringing her out of the memory.

She shakes her head, "No, they just look like little crescent moons," she starts tracing them again. "They don’t hurt, right?" she asks suddenly, concerned that she held him too tightly if the marks are still there.

"Not in the slightest," he says, shaking his head no.

"Would you want me to stop?" she asks, switching from the left to right side, her fingernail dipping into each indent.

He opens his eyes then, his hand shifting at his side, resting it on her knee as he says, "It feels nice actually."

His eyes close again, but he's fighting it, like he doesn't actually want to fall asleep, so she starts running her other hand into his hair, tracing his hairline at the back of his neck.

She's so thoroughly charmed by him when he lets out a great sigh of satisfaction as she continues touching him, any tension he was holding in his back and shoulders suddenly gone, relaxed.

"You're cute," she whispers, tracing the edge of his ear with her fingertip.

An eye opens, peaking at her, and then the other opens too, looking at her confused.

"What is it?" she asks, taking her hands off of him. 

He shrugs, "It's just, no one’s called me cute in a very long time." He doesn't seem bothered by it, more curious and surprised than anything else really. Then she spots it; he's blushing.

"I can fix that if you want," she says, grinning down at him; she'd call him cute twenty times a day if it would make him feel good.

His head makes an almost imperceivable nod before he takes his hand off of her knee, patting the bed next to him, he says, "Arya, come down here."

Laying down on her side next to him, his arm wraps around her and brings her closer. She lifts her right leg over both of his, curling it so her foot rests on his hip and her thigh is right below his ass. He's looking at her so sweetly as she settles down.

"Snuggles, very nice, a girl could get used to this Waters," she says when she manages to get the words out. This is new, the whole him looking at her and her having problems finding the right words.

He kisses her shoulder. Relaxing again, he says, "You should," his eyes saying so much more with those two words.

Minutes later, after spending the time just resting and watching each other, just enjoying being together like this, her stomach rumbles loudly.

"Food soon," she comments, it's not even seven yet, but she's worked herself up an appetite .

"Oh yes, food soon," he says, there's amusement in his words, but she can tell he's hungry too.

\----

She's spent the last few minutes watching him wash the few dishes that can’t go in the dishwasher. 

"Falling in love with your best friend, it's such a cliché," she says, more of an observation of them both than any sort of criticism—the words coming out of her as he flashes a smile her way before he wipes the counter. 

After that's done, he turns to her fully, amusement in his expression as he watches her, sitting on the couch, legs out in front of her, her back against the pillows piled up in the corner.

She can't help but still be surprised by how he sits when he joins her, his head resting on her upper thigh.

He kisses her through the fabric of her shirt, looking her in the eye as he says, "At least it's both of us. Stark, I'd be a cliché with you anytime." 

Softly sighing out, "Agreed," once she gets past the fact that he really means it, she knows that he does. He's being so soft; she thinks as she notices him resting more of his weight on her.

"Clichés aren't necessarily a bad thing," he says after a few minutes, lifting himself up onto his elbows, just looking at her as he shakes his head, "I can't believe that. Not when it's like this."

The words “like what” are on the tip of her tongue; she expects him to say how good this is but then the way he looks at her shifts to a look of want that she's getting to know quite well today. There's love mixed in there too; she can see it in his eyes. Nodding, cause whatever he wants, just him looking at her like that is making her want, making her wet. 

All words are lost to her as her breath is stolen when he lifts her leg and places her foot onto the ground before he snakes a hand over her hip and under her shirt—finally reaching her when he starts to rub her through her underwear.  
\-------  
"Gendry," she says, half exclamation and half moan as she finally gets something that passes as words to come out of her mouth. She is not wet enough yet, but he's certainly going to get her there. 

"I want to just watch your face as you cum is all," he says against her newly exposed skin, her shirt riding up, revealing to him that she chose to wear something underneath that has a bit of lace. She only wore them to see his reaction when he'd go to take them off.

“Hmmm?" he asks curiously, his eyes are dark when they meet hers. The questioning look changes to intrigue as he watches her raise her eyebrow. Daring him to do whatever he likes, gods please, she needs him to do whatever he likes.

Tracing the very edge of her underwear with his tongue, the drag of it against her right leg, then the left. He blows a bit of cool air afterward, making her wet skin more sensitive.

"So I'm just profiting from your need to watch me get off?" she asks, mostly sarcastically, she's more than happy to have him give her attention. Their earlier conversation over dinner enlightening her to some of his ideas, along with telling him more of what she wants. She trusts whatever he's going to do, it'll be satisfying, and it’ll be something they both want.

"It's not just that, you're," she thinks he was about to say beautiful, but he kisses her thigh instead, nipping at the skin after with his teeth, watching her all the while. "Getting you there, it's extraordinary," he says, rubbing her again; the fabric now slick with her wetness, "Did you know that you go pink all over?" he asks, using his free hand to push her shirt up, exposing more of her stomach.

She shakes her head in reply; she didn't know that. Pulling her shirt up further, beyond her chest, she works her arms out of it and gets it up over her head. Fabric bunching at her neck because the back of the shirt is still underneath her. If he wants to see her as she cums she might as well give him as good a view of it as she can.

"You don't mind this, do you?" he asks, suddenly concerned for some reason she can't even fathom right now. His fingers slowing, resting his head on her thigh.

"No, I don't, not at all," she says, running a hand through his hair, sighing as he immediately picks up the pace again she breathes out, "Please continue," a smile forming on her face as she hears him laugh against her skin.

"Alright," he says, kissing whatever skin he can reach for a moment before two of his fingers slide to the side then beneath the fabric, touching her properly. Suddenly she's greedy, taking each second and just letting him do what he wants as he slowly works towards making her cum.

It's a minute later when she manages to get more than just a moan to come out of her lips. "Hey Gendry," she says, and his fingers slow their movements; he's letting her concentrate. That's the opposite of what she wants.

"You could be a little more forceful or commanding if you felt like it," she explains, watching his eyes widen and a smirk appear on his lips.

"You're wonderful, do you know that?" he asks, lowering his forehead to her thigh, but he hasn't moved his fingers at all since she said it; she's not sure if he's not doing it on purpose or if he's just too overwhelmed.

She's about to ask him to do something when he looks up at her again. There's something in his expression, almost needy as he says, "Arya, let me see your pretty pink cunt."

The thrill of his words floods through her, making her clench around nothing. Desperate for him to fix that, she reaches down and pulls her underwear to one side, and using both hands, she spreads herself for him, closing her eyes as a finger slides into her while his thumb rubs right against her clit.

He keeps at a constant rhythm for gods knows how long; it's excellent, and it certainly feels good, but it's just not enough. 

"Tell me what you need," he whispers against her skin a second after she tries to shift herself closer to him in frustration.

"Another," she breathes out, a second finger enters her a moment later. Shifting her hand, she leans it against his thumb, putting more pressure on her clit, "harder," she pleads, taking her hand back after a bit, bringing it to rest near his face, running a finger along his forehead, getting him to look up at her.

“As you command, m’lady," he says with a smile, following her guide.

She lets out a tiny laugh at the absurdity of him calling her m’lady at this moment, and hearing his own laughter echoing hers just causes them both to lose it for a second. It's not until his laughter stops and he continues that her mind and body catch up with the sensation.

\------

\----

"She needs to go out?" he asks, his head resting against her shoulder. Her pulse still echoing in her ears. 

Doing her best to drown that out, it takes a minute, but, oh yes, she can hear it now, Nym pawing at the door. Poor girl. 

"Yes, Nym, I hear you," she says, partially turning towards the door. Willing her legs to work underneath her even though they still feel entirely like jelly, uncoordinated, and very unlikely to hold her up for any period of time.

"I'll be back," she says after focusing on him for a second. He looks so calm with his eyes closed. Such a contrast from even twenty minutes ago when they'd made their way to bed, he'd worshipped her with kisses when they got there, focused up and down her spine before taking her from behind.

Making herself move, annoyed noises escaping her as she does it, stopping when he extends an arm around her, his eyes are open when she looks at him, unvocalized laughter in him as he asks, "Can you even walk right now?"

"Shut up," she says a little bit too quickly, his smile, gods his smile, that slightly too proud smile, bringing her forehead to rest on his, she whispers, "Don't be smug," between them, not that he doesn't have every right to be right now, he certainly did a number on her, she won't deny it.

"No, it's not, it's just...' he starts to say, shaking his head, but then he says what are possibly the most beautiful words he ever could have said to her at this moment, "I got her, you stay."

"You don't have to," she says as he holds her closer, and she watches as he shakes his head.

Somehow managing to rise to his knees beside her, leaning over and kissing her cheek, he says, "You stay just like this." Now he actually manages to sound properly smug, but she can't make herself mind it, no, she really can't.

Then he is gone, up and off the bed, pulling on his sweatpants before opening the door and closing it behind him.

She can hear him talking to Nym through the door, "Hey there, girl, give me a couple of minutes. Then we'll go." Bare feet and paws retreating down towards his room.

He understands her and Nym, so of course, he would offer. He knows just how much Nym means to her. This is just an extension of that understanding. It's not unusual for him to take her out. Even before he moved in, he'd sometimes take her on runs if he needed some fresh air. This is different than that, though.

This is, it's a relationship thing that they didn't even have to talk about or acknowledge; it just happened. He just did the thing she'd want any partner of hers to do every so often. It's meaningful to her in a way she hadn't anticipated, how intrinsically he fits into her life, and how he always has.

It's only a few minutes before she hears them again; she can hear him putting on Nym's running harness, as he asks, "Nym, do you have to run? Is that what you want?" 

He pauses for a second like she does when she talks to Nym, leaving time for her to respond to the question before he "hmms" in reply before saying, "Around the park it is then, let's go."

Oh, she just can't stand it. It's so much; she needs to say all of this to him. Before he can get to the door, she says, "Hey Gendry!" loudly, knowing he'll hear it.

The door opens enough for him to peak in; she can see him curious before he asks, "Yeah?"

Everything she was about to say or could have said leaves her mind. The only words she has are not nearly enough, but they are the only words left, "I love you," she says strongly. It takes him a moment to react, long enough that she thinks he somehow didn't hear her, but she watches and sees his eyes softening as his smile widens.

\----

"Is this alright?" he asks after rearranging the blanket that's on top of Nym for the second time as she slowly gets to sleep at the foot of the bed.

He's quite silly in her opinion, but it's endearing, him caring about this all so much. Lifting herself off the pillows so she can look at Nym, her eyes are drooping, more than half-asleep already, anymore shifting of the blanket on top of her may cause her to wake up fully at this rate. Dropping back down, with his eyes on her now, she smiles and takes him by his bicep and pulls him down with her. 

"I can't promise she won't kick you in her sleep or roll around, but yeah, that should work," she says knowingly, not mentioning that the two times he asked before would have been fine as well.

That seems to settle him; he turns to lay on his side facing her, kissing the top of her forehead lightly he says, "Goodnight love," before he pulls away and closes his eyes.

Oh, that makes her realize something so very important; she weighs her options talking about it now or later before finally concluding that now is better.

Reaching out to find his hand, she laces their fingers together before she says, "You've meant it, every time you called me that."

His eyes open, a light coming from the window reflecting colors of the blue of them. "Of course I did, Arya," he says, almost sounding embarrassed, "It was innocent enough that I could get away with saying it without you reading into it." He pauses, searching her face for her reaction.

She has to tell him what him saying that to her made her do. "You know," she starts, explaining, "I stopped myself multiple times when I was halfway down the hall ready to knock on the door and kiss you senseless after you said goodnight to me like that."

"Really?" he asks; from his tone, she knows that he wishes that she had gone through with it, and right now, she somewhat regrets that she didn't.

Nodding, she sees something in his eye shift. "Well then, you should go to bed, love," he says, leaning his forehead against hers.

Oh, this is nice, she thinks, whispering as she says, "Believe me, I'm trying, but someone has to be so damn distracting." She closes the distance between their lips then, feeling the emotions between them building with each moment.

Pulling away, she says, "Goodnight," and taking her hand from his, she wraps an arm around him, her fingers gently gliding along his back.

"Oh yes, I'm the distracting one," he says softly after a minute of this, there's the sound of laughter in his voice as he says it making her extremely happy, but she slows her movements anyway; they are supposed to be getting to sleep after all.

It's minutes before either of them speak again, she knows he's not even close to sleeping as he says, "Thank you," into the quiet.

"For what?" she asks, there's so much they both should be thankful for.

She doesn't expect him to shrug and say, "For taking the afternoon off."

Unable to hold her surprise, she asks, "That's what you want to thank me for?" It's not something she thought about, but he's right in a way; however, there are plenty of other factors that got them both home this afternoon.

He "hmmms" her before he says, "and for so many other things." Teasing her by deliberately echoing her from earlier.

She can't help but laugh as she says, "You know if we're going down that avenue of thinking we should thank your niece for covering you in mac and cheese," she pauses for a second thinking before she continues, "maybe Bella too for asking Mya to babysit so that you'd be there visiting in the first place. Edric, too for not being able to handle Barra the last time he…"

A single finger comes up and quiets her, laying on top of her lips.

He shakes his head as he says with a sigh, "We’re not thanking my siblings for this," then he pauses, laughing a little for a moment as he says, "Maybe Barra, though. In a couple of years, when she's older and can understand it more, we’ll tell her some of what she helped to happen."

It is not until she's almost to sleep, and he's shifted in his sleep onto his back, that she realizes what waiting to tell Barra until she's older reveals for his thoughts on the longevity of their relationship. Not that she wasn't having the same thoughts but that he mentioned it at all, and this soon, he must feel it too, that this is going to last. 

It's been so fast, but at the same time, it feels like it took them forever to get to this point; being sure and knowing that this is right between them is an overwhelmingly good feeling. 

She opens one eye and sees him sleeping soundly, his entire body relaxed. Finding his hand at his side, she turns it and holds it gently as she shifts closer to him and his comforting warmth.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \---- Acts as a scene breaks in this fic.
> 
> NOTE: There's a section of smut in this. It starts at ------ . If smut is not your thing go to the second ------ to pass it as there is more fluff to be found after it.

Even though she's waking up slowly she knows he's also awake just instinctually; she can feel herself being looked at. She'd apparently rolled over during the night, her back now facing him. Knowing that he's probably looking at her with that terribly soft look in his eyes makes her smile.

He must know she's awake too, his lips gently placing a kiss onto the very top of her shoulder.

After laughing just a bit, she relaxes again, trying to find some semblance of sleep, but she's unable to, knowing she's being watched.

"You can stop looking at me," she says softly, not turning to look at him, knowing if she did, she'd never get back to sleep.

"And why would I ever want to do that?" he asks as his warm arm wraps around her middle, not pulling her closer to him or anything, even though she would invite it if he did.

Struck by his words, she shrugs slightly; he's being so sweet. Lacing her fingers through his where they rest at her side, she says, "Morning," into the air.

His breathy, "Hello," does plenty to wake all of her up. "How do you feel, Arya?" he asks, true concern in his tone.

Taking stock of herself, she answers back, "Very good," still not turning to him.

He kisses her shoulder for a second; she can feel his one morning's worth of scruff against her skin before his teeth get involved, a scrape only, not enough to pinch but certainly enough to make her shiver, his arm around her holding her somewhat steady. He licks over the spot a moment later, soothing it, then he blows a cool breath on it.

Oh, that is good, that's really good, she thinks as he kisses the spot again. "That was a dirty trick Gendry," she says, trying to sound as accusatory as possible.

He just laughs before he replies, saying, "You enjoyed it," in a knowing tone.

"I did," she says, turning to look at him, his eyes so rested and happy looking at her. His focus goes from her to beyond her shoulder, to the nightstand, his eyebrow rising suggestively, oh right, the condoms.

"Not while Nym is here in bed with us," she explains quietly shaking her head, happy that his expression changes to one of slightly horrified understanding, "it's just weird, you know," she adds, looking down towards the dog at her feet still covered by the blanket.

“Yes, completely understandable," he says, nodding, looking at Nym together, her slow breathing and the relaxed position of her head, "I forgot she was here actually. She's been so quiet."

"She didn't kick you at all?" she asks, mostly to tease him.

He shakes his head, leaning in, he says, "Not once that I can remember at least," before he kisses her; it's soft and quick but so kind that it's difficult to leave him afterward.

"I need to take her out, but I'll be back soon," she explains, leaving the bed and heading to the bathroom.

Doing everything she needs quickly before opening the door again, seeing them both still in bed, eyes closed as she crosses to her closet. Pulling on underwear, sweatpants, a sports bra, and socks before fixing her hair into a high ponytail. She opens the door again and sits right next to her sleepy dog.

"Wake up, Nym," she says softly, petting up her snout before lightly playing with her ears, feeling her head move as she wakes up slowly. Nym's head turns towards her, blinking awake before she looks at Gendry, who is now sitting upright against the headboard, the sheets covering half of his chest. Nym looks back at her and then back at Gendry again. The repeated motion makes her laugh, "Hi girl," she says, leaning down to kiss into soft fur, "yes, he stayed last night."

A smile tugs at Gendry's lips at that, instantly inspiring some ideas of what to say to Nym about him. "You're right. I am very excited about that. We like him very much, don't we?" she says into Nym's side.

His smile just keeps growing. She can't curb her instincts, teasing him, she says as if she's still talking to Nym, "No, I don't know why he's doing that," she pauses a few seconds before she says, "Yes, he is very bad at pretending to be asleep. Very true, someone should tell him."

Getting up on her knees, she crawls her way over to Gendry; propping up her pillows, she lays her head next to his. Breathing deeply, she exhales quickly against his neck as she kisses him there. Willing his eyes to open and look at her as she pulls back.

When his eyes open, she begins to say, "Hi Gendry, did you know that..." but she's interrupted by him leaning in to bridge the space between then, kissing her softly.

"It just seemed like a private conversation between you, is all," he says after he's ended the kiss shrugging his shoulder.

"You're very sweet," she says, watching him blush at the compliment; oh, that could be fun, she thinks, giving him a compliment and timing how long it takes for his blush to go away.

Nym interrupts them then, getting up and wiggling between them, clearly looking for attention. "She is a very good listener," she says, petting just below her collar as Gendry begins slowly petting her head.

"Oh, I am very aware of that," Gendry says confidently, looking from Nym to her now very pointedly; the implication of it takes her by surprise.

"Did Nym know how you felt about me before I did?" she asks, knowing the answer before he can reply just based on the look in his eyes.

"Well, I had to talk to someone who understands loving you. It's a different type of love sure, but she never complained," he says, sounding just a bit embarrassed.

"She never said anything about this when I would talk about you," she says, clearly surprising him in the process.

"Maybe she knew that we had to figure this out on our own, right girl?" he says after some thought, looking down at Nym, completely sure of his words; it's so cute.

"Do you want coffee and me when you get back?" he asks, still petting Nym's head, distracted it seems.

There's a distinct blush rising on his cheeks before she can even ask, "Did you just offer yourself to me like you were a part of a balanced breakfast?" she asks gently.

"It seems that I did yes," he says, still not lifting his head to meet her eyes.

Guiding it for him, a finger under his stubble covered chin; she kisses him slowly; as she pulls back for a second, she says, "Silly," kissing him again right cheek then left, before she explains in a whisper, "I'm still going to take you up on your offer though, just to be clear."

Goodness, his smile, she thinks as she watches him nod; he is so damn beautiful. She’s about to tell him that when he interrupts her shaking his head.

"Don't make any jokes about me being a breakfast buffet or whatever unless you want it dished right back to you," he says suddenly serious in a way she wasn't expecting, "I have more than enough material after last night."

"Is that a promise?" she asks, lifting herself away from him, enjoying this verbal sparing they seem to have found this early in the morning.

She hears him take a deep breath before he says, "It is actually, and yes, I'm aware of the pun."

Turned away from him now, her lips grow into a grin as she works on getting Nym up again.

Once she's gotten Nym up and off the bed, she returns her focus to the man beside her.

Straddling him, she doesn't lower herself down directly on to him even though she's very tempted to, and she wishes she could; she just doesn't have the time. His hands circle around her, resting on the bare skin of her lower back. Her hands on either side of his head, using the headboard to brace herself so she can lean down and kiss him.

She gives half a moment's thought to wondering if he would be alright with her sinking down on his cock and just letting her sit there as she sips her coffee between kisses when she gets back. She has a sneaking feeling that he'd be willing to try it at least once.

His smile is back when she pulls away, getting off of him and the bed. Opening the door for Nym, she hears him shift behind her. Turning to look at him, she's reminded of what she wanted to say to him earlier as her eyes take in his ass and the muscles of his back as he pulls on those damn sweat pants. His eyes question her as he turns her way.

Shaking her head, she explains, "I wasn't going to make jokes, I was just going to give you a compliment..." he crosses over to her and hugs her around her waist as she says, "but I think I'll just keep it to myself for now."

"I love you," he says, leaning down to capture her lips; she lets herself get lost in his kiss. It's soft but intense at the same time. His fingertips on her back, drawing patterns against her skin. Goosebumps rising along her arms, on her shoulders, and down her torso.

She starts to say, "I love you," back to him, at least she says it in her mind, but she's certain all that came out was a half-smothered moan.

Yes, she definitely needs to see if he'd let her sip her coffee while keeping him inside of her, she thinks as she pulls back.

"What are you thinking?" he asks, catching the calculating expression that must be in her eyes.

Not wanting him too distracted, she smiles and kisses his cheek, whispering, "You'll see," to him.

Stepping through the doorway after grabbing her running shoes, she slips them on and has them almost all the way tied before she says, "We'll be back in 20, have it ready by then."

"Have what ready?" he asks, distracted, entirely serious even as he is almost done preparing the coffee maker.

Finishing her shoes, she crosses to him in the kitchen and hugs him from behind, resting her head on his back and placing a kiss to the nearest skin she can reach. "The coffee," she explains, laughing, "You know, that thing that makes you and I tolerable humans to be around."

She can feel him nod before she steps away from him, pulling on a jacket from where it hangs by the door before grabbing Nym's harness. She gestures for her to come over so she can get it on her.

"I think we're doing quite well today actually," he says, turning towards her, as she gets halfway through getting Nym ready.

Shrugging, she says, thinking of the last few minutes since she woke up, "You're right. We are in surprisingly good moods this morning."

He kneels next to her, holding Nym steady so she doesn't move too much in excitement for her walk as he says, "It's amazing what eight and a half hours of sleep next to the right person can do," he says it surprisingly casually.

How he says something so incredibly sweet that easily she'll never understand, he must know what it does to her heart, right? Maybe he doesn't, she wonders, feeling a blush rise on her cheeks.

Looking at him, she's overwhelmed by him at her side and his smile. "It could be the orgasms, you know," she says, softly teasing him.

"Orgasms with the right person," he says almost instantly back, sounding completely serious as he places a kiss to her forehead, her hand slipping off the harnesses to cup his cheek, bringing his lips down to hers. His hand replacing her own, doing up the final bit of the harness with a click.

Pulling back from the swift kiss, she stands and admires his features from above, tracing them with her pointer finger, his chin, his lips, the pad of her finger sliding down his nose. Gods, he's beautiful.

He stands, taking her hand and looking at her closely, "Arya?" he asks curiously.

"I'm trying to decide when to spring this complement on you when you least expect it," she says, surprised when he starts to laugh a little.

"Now that sounded like the strangest threat I've ever heard," he says between breaths, making her laugh too.

"You afraid, Gendry?" she asks only when he starts to calm, pressing her forehead into his chest.

"No, not at all," he sounds so sure.

"Good, you shouldn't be," she says softly into his skin. Her lips kissing where she can easily reach in the next moment.

\---- 

"Yeah, that would work," she says, muttering to herself, still sitting next to him.

His head resting against her shoulder as they lean against the headboard. He's wrapped himself in the soft blanket she usually keeps at the end of the bed after they didn't bother to re-dress. The last thing she wants to do right now is to get back into clothing. Being able to feel his skin on hers any moment she wants is far superior right now.

"Anything I can do to help with whatever's on your mind?" he asks, turning his head in her direction.

Meeting his questioning eyes, she leans in and says, "Yes, actually," nodding all the while.

"Your room," she starts, bending her bare leg and bringing it close, so it's between them as she starts making an invisible drawing of it on her thigh. "Before you moved in, I was considering making it into a more expansive office and library," she finishes the four walls lifting her finger when she draws the doors, "But I thought that your drafting table would fit perfectly on the wall next to the closet don't you think?" Showing him by running her finger where she's speaking about. Drawing out the table and settling a finger right in front of it for the swivel chair.

He's silent beside her for a moment too long; turning to him, she sees him grinning, "Do you have an opinion. It is your table, what do you think we should do with it?"

"Arya," he says softly. Looking at her, amusement in his own eyes, he asks, "Is this your way of hinting that I should stop looking for a new place?"

"Maybe," she says, feeling her blush rise, she's sure it's a good thing that he guessed her intentions so quickly, but it does still make her nervous for some reason.

"The table would only fit there if we moved the bed out, Arya," he says, resting his head on her shoulder again.

"That could not be a problem, though. I mean, if you're interested?" she asks, thinking for a second of something Pie said to her while she was out on her earlier run with Nym but deciding to ignore that for now, she continues, "It's soon, I know. You don't have to answer me now. Still, I just thought I'd offer. I know we'd have to merge our furniture and get a lot more of your things out of storage..." she trails off after saying so much in practically one breath.

"Arya, love, I'm sure we can figure out a better place for the table," he says, his finger following the imaginary drawing that is on her thigh. He begins adding more to it as he explains, "That whole wall wants to be covered with bookcases. Maybe we put that loveseat I have that you like so much in front," his hand drops to her stomach as he continues, "top half of the shelves for books the bottom shelves for storage. The loveseat pulls out into a bed too."

Turning towards him, she knows she's unable to keep the surprise off her face, "Gendry, does that mean..." she starts but decides to go much more direct with the question. Kissing him soundly before she asks, "So you’re interested? I know you were waiting for the building presentation to be over to really look. You seemed determined when we last talked about it."

He nods, unwrapping himself from the blanket and shifting even closer to her. He says, "Yes, I'm interested, maybe not this weekend, but, yeah, that sounds like something we should do after a bit," he stretches, pulling a bit away now, obviously knowing what it does for the muscles in his arms and chest, "and as for me wanting to move out, living here and loving you, being too afraid to do anything about it. I think you understand how that feels. It seemed like the best way to deal with it before. Now though... Arya, I want to be here; a home with you is fast, but I don't think that matters so long as we both want it."

She certainly understands how he felt before, and hearing him say all of that about how now is so different is alarmingly reassuring; that thought must be obvious on her face as his hand tilts her face to look more directly at him.

"That can't be much of a surprise," he says, running a finger along her arm as he lays down on the bed.

Shrugging her shoulder, she explains, "It's fast, I thought maybe you'd still want your own space and...," but she's interrupted when he takes her in his hands and guides her to lay next to him.

"It took ages for us to get here," he says, cupping the sides of her cheeks with his hands as she lays halfway on to his chest. "I want this, all of this, as fast as we decide to go together," he says it like a declaration, but she knows it's also a promise.

Together, that word means so much coming from his lips. It fills her with such feelings she needs an outlet for it all.

\------

It spurs her to swing a leg over him and start a slow grind against his hip bone. One hand slides down, holding her at her back as he brings her closer before continuing down to her ass and holding her tight against him. "Gods, Arry, I love you," he whispers into the air between them. It feels so good, being cocooned in this space with him; she feels safe and seen and understood.

"Arya," he says after an indeterminate amount of time.

"Yes?" she replies, trying to get a handle on herself, sure that he wouldn't be interrupting this unless he has an idea.

"Do you have a vibrator or something I could use on your clit?" he asks, curious enough that it makes her wonder if he didn't actually see what she keeps in her nightstand when he opened it to get a condom last night.

Slowing down, then stopping, just watching him for a moment, she eventually does climb over him to get what he asked for from the drawer. Holding it out in front of him for a second, he goes to take it, but she's faster, pulling it out of his reach before she asks, "What are you planning?"

It has him laughing, "You'll see," he says, his eyes going dark as he looks her up and down. His hands reach for her breasts, taking them in a firm hold and just staying there. He must be waiting for her.

Passing him the vibrator, he has to let go of one of her nipples mid pinch, but she sees his smile widen as he takes it. Looking at the two buttons that are flush to the base of it, he presses one, and it starts on a low rhythm.

He presses it against her nipple, her eyes closing before he presses the second button, making it more intense and quicker. The sound of it is enough to make her wetter in anticipation. Her nipple hardens quickly, then he switches it to her other breast, pinching the one he just left with his fingers. It feels like her breathing gets deeper with each second.

"Come up here," he says once both her nipples are hard and have been pinched enough times to make them red, she's sure. Her eyes open to see him, blue eyes wide as he starts to guide her up to his chest. Her arms steadying herself against the headboard as she straddles him, searching for friction against him but finding none.

But then the vibrator brushes against her for a second, before it is taken away just as fast, her eyes closing, willing the feeling to come back.

Her needy whine must persuade him some as it's back moments later, and bless him; it stays there this time.

"Fuck, I love you," she says between quick breaths as he tries to learn all the functions of the vibrator while he holds it hard against her clit.

"What was that?" he asks, surprising her some; he should have heard her just fine.

Opening her eyes, she sees that he heard her, his adorably smug smile that she's beginning to not mind at all giving him away. There's a softness in his eyes, though; he wants to hear her say it again.

"I love you," she says, taking one hand off the headboard and wrapping it around his own. Switching the vibrator to something a little less intense, she wants this to last longer than it would have if it was kept on that speed.

"Touch me," she pleads after a bit, willing his free hand that's been resting on her waist since she got on his chest to move and do something, anything.

It surprises her when he lets go of his hold of the vibrator between her legs. "Keep it like this," he says as he holds her hand, pushing it between her wet folds and leaning her forward some with his other hand, so she's still getting stimulation to her clit, but it's less than it had been. His hands suddenly everywhere at once, but it's not enough; missing the feeling, she adjusts the setting again.

"That's good," she says, she thought it was just to herself, but it must have been loud enough for him to hear. She can feel his hands, one currently holding her breast, the other running down her arm, shifting suddenly, so all that is touching her is his fingertips.

"Watching you enjoy this gets me hard," he says, and she becomes in that moment aware just how easy it will be for him to talk in this position. His lips can't reach anything while she's like this, which was surely an oversight on his part.

Her mind goes blank as he starts rubbing just above her clit, her eyes closing as she gets used to it all.

"Be as loud as you want," he says a minute later. Not realizing until that second that a string of needy noises and soft curses keep leaving her lips.

Nodding in understanding, she lets her feelings guide her, her hips grinding against it and his fingers. Making her bend over towards him and the headboard as the time passes.

His other hand leaves her, wrapping around her own fingers, taking hers off the button that will speed it up again and replacing it with his own. "Do you want this?" he asks softly, her eyes open, seeing his eyes go wide as they watch each other.

All her answer is an open-mouthed deep breath as she tries to get his finger to move; he doesn't budge at all.

"What was that?" he asks, biting his bottom lip between his teeth as he waits for her to do something.

"Please, Gen," she manages to get out, desperate now to cum, which will happen if that button is pressed.

"You want this. Press it yourself, beautiful," he says, taking his hands off of it completely and replacing her finger over the button. She can't stop herself desperately following his order. Her eyes close as it happens; it feels like an electric shock up and down her spine as it speeds up more between her legs. It's almost enough. She tries to get used to it, but it's faster than she usually uses to get herself off.

She knows she's saying something, and she's sure her lips are moving, but she only hears his response, "That's it, I'm here, I'll catch you."

The vibrator shifts beneath her; when did she let go? She doesn't know when that happened; she's holding on to the headboard with both hands now. It slides easily through her folds, coated in her wetness when in an instant, it's not there anymore.

No sound passes from her lips at the loss cause it's back a second later, pressing against her clit where his fingers were moments ago. A hand on the side of her waist, keeping her up as she feels it crash through her in waves, one after the other after the other. Her mind goes blank, just being pulled in the feelings as they come.

She's exactly where she expected to be when she comes down; his hands slide down her sides as he must notice her not needing the support anymore. They run to her hips before moving to take hold of her ass. The vibrator is turned off and is at his side as he looks up at her with a peaceful smile on his lips.

The amount she wants to kiss him right now is insane. Running her thumb over his lips, he kisses the pad of her thumb before he says, "Sit on my face," it's not an order; she knows it isn't but hells if it doesn't feel good imagining that it is.

His hands help her up and forward. Lowering herself to him, but his mouth meets her before she can reach him, needing to taste her maybe. No, needing to kiss her, and he does after licking her folds a half dozen times first, cleaning up her cum. The scruff on his face feels incredible against her skin.

Kissing her so thoroughly, she's almost instantly a needy wet mess again. His hands reposition her hips. His nose in line with her clit and his tongue, his tongue working its way into her. It's enough to have her shaking, and his sudden humming does make this so easy. She says his name over and over as she shatters apart on his tongue.

His hands hold her steady throughout, but it takes her a long while to get her thoughts straight afterward. He's still lapping at her, cleaning her up really, avoiding her clit and his tongue sadly staying outside of her when she gives a firm tug to his hair, signaling that she's back.

She can feel him grunt and then laugh against her, lifting her knees away from him, seeing his face, gods she needs to kiss him.

"Yes?" he asks as she tries to get off of him, needing a bit of assistance when her legs prove to be too shaky for her to manage it by herself.

Collapsing onto the bed next to him, limbs giving out on her in exhaustion, she can still feel the echo of vibrations on her; she's still shaking.

Rolling on the bed onto his side, he wraps an arm around her; she can feel him like this, hard and warm against her leg.

"Arya, you alright?" he asks, laughter in his voice as he watches her come down further from her orgasms. She can smell herself on him.

She kisses him in response, warm sweet kisses all along his chin before she finally stretches, and her lips meet his. His tongue letting hers in, and she can taste herself, making her groan.

Gods, that's good.

The kiss ends when she needs to catch her breath. Burrowing into his neck, her lips against his pulse, she can feel the rapid beat.

"Relax," he says, a hand beginning to glide his fingers up and down her spine; in an attempt to be soothing, she thinks, but all it does is make goosebumps rise on her arms and shoulders and makes her even more aware of his cock against her thigh.

"No, I don't think I will yet," she says, extracting herself from him just a bit and seeing his smile as she raises her eyebrow at him before stretching to kiss those lips.

Reaching down and taking him in her hand seconds later, he just holds her tighter, letting out a relieved sigh before moaning into her mouth as she circles her thumb around his tip. Slowly gliding her fingertips down to his base, squeezing just gently enough before cupping his balls.

He breaks the kiss then, overwhelmed it seems by it all. "You don't..." he starts to say, but she interrupts him with a quick kiss.

Pulling back to look him in the eyes, she shakes her head and says, "I'm gonna, though. You know I am, talented, beautiful, wonderful, man," she takes a moment to admire the red flush that has taken over his whole body, a mixture of the complements and the slow hand job she's been giving him for the last minute she's sure.

His eyes squeezed shut; she shifts, letting go of him before pushing him onto his back, then kissing his forehead and taking his hands in hers.

"Arya," he says, breathing heavily. He says it in the same way, "Arya," seconds later, after she hasn't responded.

"Yes?" she asks, and then his eyes open, silently pleading for something; whatever she has planned, he wants it.

"Tell me if this is too much," she whispers, letting go of his hand, tossing her hair behind her shoulder before she shifts, sliding her fingers down his chest, her nails gliding off his nipples as she kisses down along his throat, then further down his sternum.

As she continues lower, she starts to press kisses into his skin randomly, every once and a while biting gently. The sounds and the pleas he's making assure her that she's doing a wonderful job, making him fall apart for her.

He goes silent when she takes his cock in her hands again. She can see his chest rises and fall quickly with each breath.

"Gendry," she says as her lips hover above his tip, where her fingers are doing a fine job at smearing his precum around. He lifts his head, and their eyes meet as she starts to suck on his tip, the salt of him delicious. His eyes widen at the sight before his head drops back to the bed. She can feel him throb for her.

When she takes all of him she can into her mouth, his hands reach out to hold on to her shoulders.

He keeps repeating her name, which only spurs her on faster; she can tell he's getting close a minute later as she swirls her tongue along a vein she finds on the underside of him.

He gently pushes on her shoulders a moment later, and she pulls off of him, at least that's what she thinks he wants. "Not yet," he says as he catches his breath and pulls two pillows under his head so he can see her better.

She can't keep in her giggles as she watches him, "That good?" she asks, and he just nods in response.

Kissing his stomach now on her way back up to his lips, her hands keeping her up above him, she accidentally takes hold of the vibrator that he tossed to the far side of him when they were done with it earlier.

"Can I use it on you?" she asks, curious to his response; he turns to the side, his eyes widen with interest as he sees it, his cock twitching at the question. "Not in your ass, just close to your cock," she assures him softly, only starting it up on the slowest setting as he nods in agreement.

Slowly going back down to his cock she gives no clue to him before she takes him back into her mouth.

Stroking the rest of him with her other hand, her eyes catching his, he nods again, and she holds his balls, slightly squeezing. The noise he makes at that really clues her in on somethings, some very good and important things.

Bringing the vibrator to him, she presses it between his balls and the underside of his cock, making his hips shift as he gets used to it.

It's not even two minutes before he's gasping, muttering, "Arya, so close," three times rapidly.

Her eyes catch his. Hopefully, he gets her unsaid question she's trying to get through to him; you want to cum now?

He nods and breathes out, "Please," though, so it must have worked.

Sucking him harder, she ramps up the setting on the vibrator, and then less than a minute later she's swallowing him down as he moans through it.

She still has him in her mouth, licking up the veins she finds, base to tip, as he recovers.

Not letting up on the vibrator until he reaches down and moves it away himself a while later.

Letting go of the suction she still has on his cock with an over-enthusiastic pop, makes his eyes open. He's still a little unfocused, his eyes meeting hers all the same and tracking her as she kisses his hips, then his stomach as she climbs up to join him.

\------

"Relax," she says, laughing a bit as she echoes him from earlier, pressing a kiss to his jaw before she rests her head beside his, while he laughs.

"You mean pass out for ten minutes, right?" he asks, a wide smile on his lips as he turns his head towards her.

Unable to find the right words suddenly, she runs her pointer, middle, and index fingers slowly along his smile, top lip first then the bottom, before running them down his chin, studying him before she just nods in reply.

He laughs a little before he says, "Good cause that's all I can do right now," leaning his forehead against hers as he watches her eyes, then his eyes close. The smile still on his lips as he says, "Hells Arya."

Shifting up further against her pillows after rolling onto her back, she guides him to rest his head on her chest and holding him in a hug with an arm across his shoulders.

Running her hand through his hair absentmindedly, she takes notice of every move he makes, from pressing a kiss in-between her breasts to wrapping and arm around her, resting his hand on her lower back, and every deep breath against her skin.

It surprises her when minutes later his head shifts, one eye meeting hers before he says, "You know we didn't talk about this yet, but I'm not opposed to it. Not at all, actually, if I'm honest."

He must see that she doesn't understand what he's talking about; he opens his mouth as if to say something but then closes it again, smiling for a second at her thinking about something for a moment but then he says, "I'm talking about taking your cock up my ass."

How he ever imagined she would know what he was talking about when he first started talking is unclear to her, but her reaction to it now, well, they'll need to get a few things to do it properly, but she can imagine quite a bit and all of it has her excited.

"Really?" she asks softly, double-checking she heard him correctly. Remembering his cock's reaction when she first asked him about the vibrator.

He nods against her breasts, yawning; he says, "Not just now, I think, though."

"No, not just now," she says in reply, letting a smirk rise on her lips as she watches him as he closes his eyes again, and his head settles again, unmoving against her skin.

Yeah, they're it for each other, she thinks as she lets herself relax with him. Enjoying every moment of calm quiet between them.

\----

Maybe twenty minutes later, she feels a sudden shift of the weight of his head on her chest; he's holding it up himself as he rolls further into her chest. His lips pressed against the skin of her breast.

Running a hand through his hair and not bothering to open her eyes yet, she licks her lips before asking softly, "Scramble with bacon and fried tomatoes sound good?"

A small nod of his head is the only reply she gets.

"I got fresh rolls at Pie's earlier. He cried tears of happiness when he saw me," she says, reliving the moment in her mind.

"Did he?" he says after his head shifts a bit, sounding amused.

She nods; even though he can't see it, he can probably feel it. "Apparently, he woke up this morning to a text from Rickon of all people, telling him that two of his best friends had finally gotten their act together," she says, watching him as he lifts his head slowly from her.

Laughing as she thinks of it, she says, "He wouldn't stop hugging me, finally had to say that you were in bed waiting with coffee for me to get out of there." Remembering the welcome he had given her once she returned to bed. She was right; coffee and his cock are both excellent at the same time.

He yawns a little before he says, "We should keep our phones off this weekend."

"Probably a good idea," she says, thinking back to the one thing that Pie wanted to talk about above everything else.

He moves to her side, facing her and wrapping an arm around her waist as he relaxes again.

Should she bring it up? She considers it for a second before letting it go; it's just not something you talk about this soon, but then she turns and sees him asking her silently what she's thinking about, and she finds herself talking about it anyway.

"I have a feeling Pie is going to keep asking us about cake for a while," she says, turning onto her side.

"Cake?" he asks, sounding confused.

"A, yeah, cake," she starts, trying to hide how interested she is in his opinion too, "He's very set on finding out how we feel about a raspberry and chocolate layer cake with raspberry buttercream and raspberry compote and having it all covered in two thin layers of semi-hardened chocolate ganache."

She feels her face go red halfway through describing it. When she finally finishes, she's nearly out of breath. It's at that moment that she notices that he must have closed his eyes partway through it; he must be imagining it.

"Sounds delicious," he says, his eyes still closed.

With those two words from him, she lets herself think about it, really think about it. It is a very comforting thought, a forever with him. Walking towards him, happy and overwhelmed with tears, words, and promises.

His hand shifts up her back, and her eyes open, meeting blue; the calm between them almost has her telling him all of that.

She manages to get back to the cake, though, saying, "It's for..." before he interrupts her, kissing her forehead softly.

"I've known Pie all my life," he says, pulling back with a smile, "I know what it's for, and we're not the first couple he's done this to." She's not sure how to feel at that, relieved a bit certainly but also maybe kind of annoyed with Pie.

"How do you feel about already knowing what the cake will be?" she asks, curious for his response.

"Did we just decide that?" he asks, clearly amused, but he must be able to see it on her face that she wanted an actual answer, "Pretty good actually if there's a third layer of ganache," he says quickly.

It's not a bad idea; another layer, more chocolate is always the right call.

"Hey, remember that dessert table he was working on pieces for a few months ago?" he asks. How could she forget? Sansa loved the lemon cake bar so much she's planning on having them for her birthday this year instead of an actual cake. He starts talking again as she nods, "We should do that too. Lemon cake bars and those bourbon apple bacon fritters. A few other things." His words trail off as his eyes close again.

Which is a good thing, a very good thing as it gives her a moment to process what he just said. It was a lot more than she expected certainly. The whole conversation was, she was just gauging his feelings on it since Pie put it in her mind, but he took it further than she expected at the end there. This isn't a bad thing, but it's just so beyond what she thought this would be.

Needing to get out of bed so she can think about this more without his very naked body beside her, she takes the arm he has around her and lifts it off her. Kissing his palm, she says, softly, "Ok, now I'm officially starving. I'm going to go and make breakfast,"

Rolling away from him, then sitting at the edge of the bed. Cleaning herself a bit before pulling on her sweat pants again and the oversized tee-shirt from last night, she grabs her coffee cup from the nightstand and then turns to him again. Catching him watching her before his eyes dart away.

Leaning over the bed, she reaches out as she says, "Want another cup?"

He takes his coffee cup and hands it to her; he seems distracted as he does it. She asks, "You want it in bed, or will you come out here and have it with me?" mainly to get his attention again. She's not sure what to make of him right now, and that makes her nervous.

He focuses on her again, a smile on his lips as he shakes his head, saying, "I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

She leaves him there, collecting everything she needs to start breakfast from the fridge, eggs, bacon, cheese, then a beefsteak tomato from the basket, all while going over what just happened in her mind. It didn't go as planned exactly, but maybe his reaction was better because it wasn't what she expected.

Turning on the toaster oven to heat up the rolls before digging through a cabinet to get the frying pans, she hears him leave her room and walk down the hall, closing the door to his room behind him.

She's annoyed with Pie for even putting the thought in her head, but she's also semi-annoyed with herself for saying anything. She shouldn't have even brought it up just then; that was her mistake, letting his questioning eyes get past what she knew to be the sensible thing and not talking about delicious fucking wedding cake less than a day into this new version of them.

Cutting the tomato before pouring them both another cup of coffee and after that going to find the cheese grater in a lower cabinet. She puts it on the counter, and instead of getting up again, she just sits against the closed cabinet door, legs out in front of her, unable to do anything suddenly but think about what she said and what he said.

That's where he finds her maybe two minutes later. Dressed now in sweats himself and an undershirt, he leans against the fridge surveying the kitchen before he joins her on the floor. Across from her, his legs bending slightly cause there isn't enough room for him to lay them out straight.

"Was that a little too much for you?" he asks softly, concern in his voice.

She looks at her hands in her lap as she nods.

"Yeah, me too," he says, making her lift her head, "It was heavy, but it's not like we set a date and put an order in or anything," he explains, sounding confident as he says it.

"I shouldn't have brought it up," she says, still trying to figure her reasoning, "generally people don't have anyone asking them about their cake preferences less than 24 hours in."

That has him shaking his head and clearly trying to hold in a laugh. "Hey, most people aren't best friends with the most ambitious and enthusiastic pastry chef in the city. If you didn't bring it up now, Pie would have asked me the next time I see him," he continues, perhaps he understands the talk they just had better than she does.

"We were just talking," he says, resting his hand on her exposed calf where her sweatpant leg has risen up, "and you should remember that I was the one to bring up the dessert table. That wasn't just me adding to the conversation; those bourbon apple bacon fritters are so good," she can tell by the way he says it that this was something he'd already thought about well before their conversation today, which is more than she's thought about wedding dessert until today.

It makes her smile, knowing he has his own thoughts about it. "It does all sound delicious," she admits trying to lighten her own mood some.

"You know, honestly, I'm glad you brought it up first, actually. If I talked about this with Pie or anyone else," he stops talking suddenly as if he's imagining it, "If someone else had brought it up first, I would have freaked out," he admits softly as if he's uncomfortable saying it.

It doesn't surprise her at all, she went through that feeling today already, and this is the result.

She does want to hear him explain it more from his side, though. "Why would you have been freaked out?" she asks.

"Because the only two people who's business this is, is ours," he says, a calm assuredness in his words settles her. "I've been in love with you for so long, and this is so new I can still keep count of every kiss," he leans in slightly, "But I do know that I want to live my life with you, and based on our cake conversation I think you feel the same," he seems almost shy saying it, but hearing it brings so much peace to her.

A grin grows on her lips; even if they're talking around it, she's still very glad that they are talking about it, "I want that too, a life with you," she says, "cake will be a part of that at some point."

"It doesn't have to," he says quickly, and for a moment, she thinks he's saying they don't have to be married, but then she realizes that he's just talking about having the dessert table instead of cake.

Sternly she replies, "It will, though." Making it clear where she stands in regards to that glorious raspberry chocolate creation Pie has in mind.

"So we'll order it all when we're ready," he says, unable to hold in his amusement.

He leans back against the cabinet again before he says much more seriously, "Not just now, but we should talk about it again—the whole thing, not just the dessert."

She nods almost unconsciously, unable to look away from him and what he just said. It shifts something in her brain, a good thing. She shouldn't worry about this.

Then she realizes that he's watching her just as intently. "You're staring," she says, his eyes crinkle just a little at the corners.

"I am," he agrees, "and so are you," he says, a playful look flashing in his eyes.

"You should drink your coffee while it's still hot," she says as she watches him shift, sitting on his knees.

Crossing the small distance between them, reaching up and taking his mug from the counter and taking a drink, replacing it where it was, he shakes his head, and he says, "it'll keep a bit longer," before he leans in, a hand on her shoulder guiding her into a kiss.

The heat and taste on his lips from the coffee is lovely. It's a soft kiss, full of the emotions of the last few minutes. She's reminded about what he said earlier about counting their kisses. He wouldn't lie about that; she wonders what criteria he's using to mean a kiss.

"What may I ask are you defining as a kiss?" she asks as he begins running his lips up her cheek, making her laugh.

"Lips to the other person," he says as his attentions reach the spot just below her ear.

"And when will you stop counting?" she asks after the kisses slowly end. Eyes opening, she can feel his exhale against her skin.

"Oh, I'm sure to lose track soon," he says; she can hear his smile as he rests his lips against the side of her temple.

\----

"Too full?" he asks, looking at her as she crosses towards the couch, the paperback he'd been reading hanging limply in one hand. His comment doesn't surprise her; they both ate like savages once their plates were assembled. He's probably feeling it too.

"I'm at a comfortable food coma level right now," she says, eyeing him and the way he's sitting, legs out on the coffee table. If she had him lift his arm, she could snuggle in, "Yeah, I'm just going to," she says halfway through positioning herself next to him. Her legs out on the length of the couch, his arm wrapped around her below her chest. Resting in the space his arm creates for her.

She can feel his laugher moments before he says, "Absolutely, be my guest."

"What were you thinking for the rest of the day?" she asks, tilting her head so she can see him as he speaks.

He shruggs his shoulders before he says, "Nothing that exciting, the dog park in a bit, then more of this. After that lunch, grocery shopping, the usual."

How does he make a regular thing like grocery shopping sound so appealing, she wonders to herself as her eyes begin to droop.

"What should we do after that?" he asks, a curious tone in his voice.

"More of this," she says softly.

He nods, "Hmm, more of this sounds wonderful," he says, looking at her so sweetly.

She feels him taking a deep breath before he asks, "Do you think this might have been more difficult if we managed to get here earlier?"

She considers it for a minute before she says with a sigh, "Probably, if you mean years earlier, we wouldn't have been ready at all for this five years ago," thinking back to how they were then. No they wouldn't have had a very good chance. "But for the last year or so, I don't know if there would have been a difference," that feels true in her heart as she says it.

He's happy with that answer; it seems as she watches a smile grow on his lips. "Do you feel it too?" he asks, "Like we both started a slow shift towards this ages ago, and we didn't even notice it was so..."

"Gradual," she says for him. It's been on her mind too all of this.

"Hmmm," he says in agreement, amused at her.

She turns towards him, legs underneath herself now as she says, "Everything about us until now has been gradual, I think," softly, she adds, "I'm kind of tired of gradual if I'm honest."

He nods, understanding what she means; she's sure.

Taking a breath, then he laughs. "It does feel like we're tricking the system somehow, not that I'm complaining, but it's like we shouldn't be at this point yet?" he says, clearly not doubting this, but more relieved in a way.

"But here we are," she says, feeling everything this is growing to be between them, letting herself experience that overwhelming joy, "and it's good, like really good."

"Yeah, it's like that," he says, agreeing.

He goes quiet for a bit, thinking about this more.

"Maybe this is what loving your best friend can be like sometimes," he says thoughtfully, "Skipping the beginning getting to know you bits and just knowing the other person so well already that the transition to, to partners, is simple." Him using the word partners, he was unsure of it but hearing him use it makes her smile.

"Partners, right?" he asks a moment later, "That's what we'll use cause I know you don't like the more conventional labels." Of course, he remembers their conversation about this that they had years ago.

"Yeah, partners describe us just fine," she says, tenderly watching his expression relax, leaning into his chest and closing her eyes.

Not twenty seconds later, he says softly into her ear, "Hey, get up for a second. I have an idea."

Getting off the couch, he repositions, laying lengthwise on the couch, his back propped up against the arm, a large pillow between him and it. His legs slightly open so she can lay between them.

"Come here," he says, "This should be much more comfortable."

He's not wrong; her head would have been in a very weird angle if she fell asleep sitting like she had been before.

Joining him, resting her head on his chest and lying down between his legs. He pulls down the blanket that lives on the back of the couch to cover them. His arms wrap around them a second later, taking his book in his hands and resting it on her back. Reaching her hands up to his shoulders, she relaxes quickly.

"Wake you up in an hour?” he asks a minute after her eyes close.

"Yeah, that would be perfect,” she replies, nodding slowly and holding him just a little bit tighter.

She can hear his heartbeat like this, the steady rhythm; it’s soothing being here like this with him.

He presses a kiss to her hair, and she can feel his lips shift into a smile as his lips linger.

When he pulls back, she lifts her head, looking at him; his blue eyes are so full of happiness. "Hey Gendry?” she says, unsure of how to start this.

"What is it?” he asks, speaking softly into the small space between them.

"You happy?" she asks, knowing that he is but needing to hear him say it, and she needs to tell him the same.

He looks honestly shocked after she asked the question. He opens his mouth to talk but closes it again for a second. "Arya, I'm very, extremely, overwhelmingly happy,” he says, and in his eyes, she can see his need for her to understand it. Then his eyes shift, suddenly asking her the question in return, needing to know her answer just as much as he needs for her to trust his.

"Me too,” she says, nodding her head slightly, "I'm happy too,” she can tell he understands; she’s just as happy as he is.

She's surprised how fast she's able to fall asleep like this. It must be the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathes, the steady beat of his heart, and the sound of pages flipping at an even pace; she's warm with his arms around her. Awake enough the first three times he kisses the crown of her head, she doesn't know if there were more after that, but she can guess that there are probably many more to come.

This moment here with him, it's part of a larger longer life she dearly wants for them, and right now, it looks like they're going to have it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So 30,000+ words later this fic is done. 
> 
> This modern au however is not, I may or may not have 5000+ words of their in verse wedding vows written, but I'm not sure what to do with them right now. It's currently percolating in my brain.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kuddos are my greatest motivation to write more. Please consider doing the things.


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